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11th July 2012
BEAMINSTER: Floods close tunnelWater causes landslip at town's tunnel forcing it shut for days By Paul Crompton
FLASH floods caused havoc in Beaminster when a month’s worth of rain fell on the area in just 24 hours. Rain battered the area causes the River Brit to burst its banks and flood the town. The town’s flood wardens rushed into action to help save houses throughout the town in a 10-hour co-ordinated rescue mission at the weekend. The 14-man flood team was called into action for the first time since it formed three years ago as the worse floods for decades hit the town. The floods caused a landslip on the southern side of Beaminster tunnel and the main slip caused a blockage on the northern side. The tunnel will be closed because of structural damage until September according to Dorset County Council. Sam Pearce is the co-ordinator of Beaminster’s flood watch scheme. She said: “We got our first flood warning at 9.15am on Saturday morning. We’ve received a lot in the past but significantly more this year and we’ve had to keep an eye out but the next stage is the flood warning when all the flood wardens come out like on Saturday. “The project was co-ordinated by Rosemary Beeny from her house and that’s unusual because normally we run it from the public hall but the phones lines were down at the time. “I was on the ground with Robert Cheeseman and the other 11 wardens in trucks and land rovers filling up sand bags to take to wherever they were needed. “We gave out sand bags if we saw water lapping against doors or if people phoned us. “We helped wherever help was needed putting out the sand bags and cones. But people were walking past the bollards and that was so dangerous when the rivers are so high. “”The wardens stepped down in the evening when we then went back on alert. The last person to come back of the ground was about 7.30pm in the evening.” She added: “Thank you to the flood wardens on behalf of Beaminster Town Council and the councillors if performing so efficiently on the ground. “It was the first time we had dealt with an emergency, we’ve done desk top simulations before but we’ve never had a real incident.” Speaking about the damaged tunnel eye-witness Douglas Beazer said: “I feel that due to the amount of earth which has already come down and the damage to the stonework above the tunnel, it looks as if the tunnel could be closed for a very long time.” In the event of another flood people are asked to check the Environment Agency website www.environment-agency.gov.uk which also has details on the dangers of flooding. PICTURES: Damage to Beaminster tunnel after severe flooding hit the area on Saturday, July 7th CommentsAdd new commentReturn to news headlines | |||||||||||||||
 
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The flood wardens in Beaminster did a great job
Posted by on 11th July, 2012
i recall a flooding incident on part of the Bridport road betwen the two Netherbury turn offs..some body cut all the mature trees down on top of the hill along came a down pour and all the top soil found its way on to the road.seems like a similiar situation.
Posted by wise owl on 11th July, 2012