Boscastle Flooding case study

Here are some summary notes for your Boscastle case study. You should learn CAUSES and EFFECTS of the flooding here.

FACTS

Flood occurred in Boscastle, Cornwall, South West England on 16th August 2004.

CAUSES

• 75mm of rain fell in just 2 hours in the village.


• The village lies in a steep valley which speeded up overland flow of rainwater.


• The village lies at the confluence of two rivers.


• There had never been a major flood in this village so there were no flood prevenion methods in place.

EFFECTS (see if you can identify which effects are short term and which are long term).

• Cars, walls and bridges were washed away.


• Roads were blocked which made access for emergency services very difficult.


• Many homes were damaged by floodwater.


• The church was filled with 6 feet of mud and water.


• Trees were uprooted and swept in to peoples gardens.


• More than 150 people were airlifted to safety.


• Fortunately no one was killed in this flood.


• A burst sewer pipe made much of Boscastle inaccessible for days due to health reasons and disease.


• People were left homeless for a few nights and hotels and guest houses in the area were packed full of people.


• Many insurance claims were made so Boscastle now is an area of very high insurance costs as it is now considered a flood risk area.