VIDEO: Newlyn floods after river bursts its banks as authorities deal with widespread flooding in Cornwall
Newlyn business owners and residents were battling to keep flood waters out of their properties last night.
Fire crews from Penzance, St Ives and St Just as well as police, who put road closures in place, were on the scene in Newlyn.
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Flooding at Tregeseal, Ben and Lotte Yarwood tend their polytunnel after the river burst its banks at St Just.
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Cormac checking property and delivering sandbags at Tregeseal, St. Just.
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Boards and sandbags as flood defence at Tregeseal, St Just.
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The road to Kenidjack from St Just is closed by a torrent of water running through Tregeseal.
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Newlyn river bursts its banks as authorities deal with widespread flooding across Cornwall
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Newlyn river bursts its banks as authorities deal with widespread flooding across Cornwall
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Newlyn river bursts its banks as authorities deal with widespread flooding across Cornwall
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Newlyn river bursts its banks as authorities deal with widespread flooding across Cornwall
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Newlyn river bursts its banks as authorities deal with widespread flooding across Cornwall
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The Newlyn Coombe river burst its banks just after 8pm yesterday evening after nearly 5cm of rain fell on the village in 24 hours.
See a gallery of pictures of flooding at Newlyn overnight.
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A crowd of worried residents and fascinated onlookers gathered to watch as the water poured down the village's main street.
In a similar incident in November, when 52mm rain fell, the river burst its banks, sending torrents of muddy water through the village and into people's properties, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.
Firefighter Shaun Roberts, who was in charge of the response in Newlyn this evening, said people had been more prepared.
He said: "They have learnt from last time so they all have their own sandbags now. That is the first thing the crew from St Ives did was to make sure they all had their sandbags out.
"They are all getting used to this now. There might be a few inches of water (inside properties) but I don't think it is anything like it was last time."
Mr Roberts said about 25 firefighters would remain on scene as heavy rain was forecast to come in over the next three hours.
He added: "We have managed to get officers in position to check the water is not rising and going into properties. I think we are very lucky at the moment that we have not got the rain coming down."
Although onlookers were concerned about high tide, due in at around midnight, Mr Roberts said he had been assured by local trawler men that it should not make the situation worse.
One onlooker, who lives in a cottage on the east side of the river, was nervously looking to see how close the water would come to her property.
She said: "I'm hoping it doesn't rain anymore. We were lucky last time it's just stayed this side (to the west).
"In November the Co-op and everything got flooded.
"I just feel sorry for Aunty May's and the businesses because they are just starting to get sorted and now they are flooded again."
She added that she would be staying up to watch the progress of the flood waters
Elaine Pascoe of Penzance had come to witness the incident after finding out about it on Facebook.
She had been stuck in the Meadery during the November flood.
She said: "It is not as fast this time but then again high tide is not until 12.30am. It is going to get higher."
Mr Roberts advised people to stay away from the area. "We are advising people not to come to have a look," he said. "Stay in your houses because otherwise you are just going to put a lot more pressure on us."
A statement from Cornwall Council said that the fire and rescue service had received around 50 calls between 6pm and 9pm this evening, with around 70 firefighters dealing with incidents across Cornwall. CORMAC and environment crews were also out dealing with incidents.
Other areas affected by flooding include the A39 past the Norway Inn where the fire and rescue service have a high volume pump in operation to help reduce the water levels, surface water flooding in the Roseland area, with the road between Grampound and St Mawes badly affected.
There were also continuing problems in Porthleven, Penzance and the road between Camborne and Praze.
A spokesman said the council had received reports of eight properties flooding across the Duchy.
Rain levels are forecast to decrease over next two hours, with around 8mm to 19 mm of rain expected between midnight and 6am tomorrow morning.
There was more heavy rain forecast for tomorrow and flood warnings are currently in place for the Rivers Cober and Bolingey.
Update 23.30:
Police later reopened the road letting the first cars through at 23.15 as the flood waters began to recede.
Update 10am:
There is the possibility of a further 50mm of rainfall today, creating a significant risk of further flooding.
A spokesman for Cornwal Council said there were reports of around 15 Newlyn businesses being slightly affected last night.
The Environment Agency is warning local residents to take precautions and all agencies are monitoring the situation closely.
See related content on the floods in Cornwall:
Three die as storm strikes Devon and Cornwall
Destructive floods bring death and misery on long night of rain
Forecasters say worst of wet weather is over
VIDEO: Body discovered in Looe building which collapsed following landslide
Woman dies after being thrown from car in two-vehicle crash on A39 at Kilkhampton
Friday love blog: Cornwall floods cause landslides, road closures and river flood alerts
12 Comments
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by Dantwo
Friday, March 22 2013, 9:52PM
“Whether it's a large dutch barn or a solar panel, rain no longer falls uniformly on the ground: it is, by virtue of the structure it hits, concentrated at one point. Thus the water travels downhill faster than it would without the obstruction. Add to this the removal of granite hedgerows over the last few decades and you begin to see why rivers and streams rise very quickly after rainful on higher ground. When that ground is already saturated the problem is exacerbated.”
by Dantwo
Friday, March 22 2013, 9:52PM
“Whether it's a large dutch barn or a solar panel, rain no longer falls uniformly on the ground: it is, by virtue of the structure it hits, concentrated at one point. Thus the water travels downhill faster than it would without the obstruction. Add to this the removal of granite hedgerows over the last few decades and you begin to see why rivers and streams rise very quickly after rainful on higher ground. When that ground is already saturated the problem is exacerbated.”
by Dantwo
Friday, March 22 2013, 9:51PM
“Whether it's a large dutch barn or a solar panel, rain no longer falls uniformly on the ground: it is, by virtue of the structure it hits, concentrated at one point. Thus the water travels downhill faster than it would without the obstruction. Add to this the removal of granite hedgerows over the last few decades and you begin to see why rivers and streams rise very quickly after rainful on higher ground. When that ground is already saturated the problem is exacerbated.”
by twofeetofsnow
Friday, March 22 2013, 7:46PM
“@Dantwo... I think you'll find most building developments make allowances for rainwater run-off, usually into the drain system rather than straight onto the land or into soak-aways. Farming practices are more to blame for flash-flooding, fields ploughed in a different direction, hedges removed to provide bigger fields, different crops all add to the amount of surface water flowing down our roads and into our properties. Architects adhere to planning regulations, many farmers however do whatever they like with little recourse.”
by OscarDelta
Friday, March 22 2013, 4:54PM
“Dantwo, surely the run off from solar farms just runs off the panel and soaks into the bare ground underneath the next panel.”
by Dantwo
Friday, March 22 2013, 4:24PM
“#twofeetofsnow - My point really was that Cornwall Council has voted for 42,000 new homes in Cornwall when expert opinion was that 12,000 new homes would be sufficient to meet LOCAL NEED over the same period. Run-off, whether it be from houses or solar farms, increases exponentially once you get development on what were formerly green field sites. Good luck with your flood defences...”
by twofeetofsnow
Friday, March 22 2013, 1:19PM
“My sandbags have been in place since December and won't be going until the flood defence I bought is put in. My apologies to the postman and anyone calling but without them my house would have been underwater last night. Thanks again to the fire crews who came out, their work is always appreciated.
I didn't notice any immigrants blocking the storm drains last night Dantwo, I will be the first to let you know if I see any. :o)”
by Dantwo
Friday, March 22 2013, 11:39AM
“It seems this pattern of climate change/freak weather events is set to continue. I hope I am wrong. But the very worst way to deal with it is to start building houses on high ground. It is absolutely imperative that the 42,000 new homes planned by Cornwall Council are not built on high ground where the cumulative run-off will guarantee flooding on lower ground. Just to give one example, the 1300 houses planned on a hillside here in St. Austell would have been a disaster for the town.”
by Dantwo
Friday, March 22 2013, 11:38AM
“It seems this pattern of climate change/freak weather events is set to continue. I hope I am wrong. But the very worst way to deal with it is to start building houses on high ground. It is absolutely imperative that the 42,000 new homes planned by Cornwall Council are not built on high ground where the cumulative run-off will guarantee flooding on lower ground. Just to give one example, the 1300 houses planned on a hillside here in St. Austell would have been a disaster for the town.
It would also help nationally if we did not have the huge numbers of immigrants piling into this country all of whom have to be housed somewhere.”
by Mennaye
Friday, March 22 2013, 10:08AM
“A great Start to Spring 2013, (NOT). Looks like we are going to get another wet spring/Summer just like last year? Sign of the times present and the future for the UK? Time for those who have always turned their backs on taking holidays abroad, to start thinking?”