UK: Thousands evacuated as dam wall collapses

LONDON

Thousands of people are being evacuated on Friday from Whaley Bridge town after the collapse of a damn wall.

1,500 residents of the northern town of Whaley Bridge have been evacuated after police warned that the dam holding back waters from the Toddbrook reservoir could face further collapse and thus severely flood the town.

“River levels in the River Goyt could still rise rapidly as a result of persistent rain and water coming from Toddbrook Reservoir on 01/08/2019,” the government said in a flood warning, adding that “evacuation plans are currently underway for the area of Whaley Bridge”.

To assist local authorities with the evacuation, the Royal Air Force sent a Chinook helicopter to the affected area and has also dropped 150 tons of aggregate, a mixture of sand, stone and gravel, to help stem the flow of the water into the reservoir and to prevent it from flooding.

“The Armed Forces continues to support local authorities in tackling the flooding we have seen across many parts of the U.K.,” said Mark Lancaster, the minister for the armed forces.

“The rapid response of the RAF in deploying a Chinook helicopter will provide extra support in Derbyshire and we stand ready to assist in any way required,” Lancaster added.

Whaley Bridge residents were told by police to pack essentials such as medication and clothing. Others, however, remained in the town, securing their homes and businesses while hotels and other public areas offered free rooms for those affected by the flooding.

The U.K. and much of western Europe in the last week have experienced a scorching heatwave with temperatures soaring to record breaking 39 degrees Celsius (102.2 Farenheit). Following the heatwave, many parts of the U.K. were affected by heavy rainfall with thunder and lightning storms.