Without wanting to downplay the utter tragedy of loss and devestation caused in some parts of the country due to a month’s rainfall falling in a few hours, I do find myself wondering just when we, as a nation will ever learn.
It is awful, awful, awful for those people who have been flooded out of their homes (and I know what it’s like to have water lapping at your doorstep, if not actually getting in) but it does seem a wee bit silly to go blaming the authorities as the first line of attack. Rain happens, and sometimes lots of rain happens, and unprecedented amounts of rain in short spaces of times are going to lead to flooding of some kind whatever the circumstances. Climate change is almost certainly to blame at least partially, but there are many smaller factors that have led directly or indirectly to that, some natural, some man-made. Then there’s the building on flood plains and the tarmacing and paving of driveways; there are lots of considerations as to why these happen. Maybe the biggest is deciding to build your city where five (or is it seven) rivers meet?!!
What I find really, really silly are the pictures you get on the news of people ‘bravely’ (no, stupidly) trying to get to work. You actually see them driving on dry land and then into the river in which a van has already conked out. Or those people who ‘bravely’ (no, foolishly) try and get to work, wading through water and climbing along walls to try and get to work. Exactly how much do these people not listen when everyone is saying only to travel if absolutely necessary?!! Unless you are a keyworker, it is unlikely that your job is strictly necessary!! However important a job you think you do?!!
Oh, and as for being airlifted out of an office?!! I’ve been in an office which was flooded out. Okay, the building itself wasn’t but the island on which we were situated was slowly sinking under – umm – 6 inches or so of water. Them in charge had the foresight to close the building and send folk home before there was a problem. I’m surprised (given the necessity to have fire alarms/practices) that they weren’t able to evacuate the building.
Oh, and before the rest of us ‘down south’ get conplacend, let’s just remember that wer’re all downstream of some of those places and there’s more rain forecast…
Eeep!
