| According to
Gloucester County Councils website almost 11,000 properties
in Gloucestershire are at risk of river flooding from a
1-in-100 year event. In the
summer of 2007, Gloucestershire fell victim to one of the
worst civil emergencies on record when 5,000 homes and
businesses were flooded and many local and outlying
communities cut off. Electricity was lost to 48,000 homes
for two days and Gloucestershire came close to having no
power at all.
Over half the homes in Gloucestershire and 7,500 businesses
were without any mains water for up to 12 days - and 17 days
for drinking water. During the crisis, 40 million bottles of
drinking water were distributed and 1,400 bowsers deployed.
Around 200,000 litres of drinking water had to be delivered
to thousands of vulnerable people in their homes.
Tewkesbury was the worst affected of the Gloucestershire
districts. The abiding memory television viewers had of the
floods was the striking image of Tewkesbury abbey surrounded
by flood water.
Cheltenham was flooded twice due to exceptionally heavy rain
during June and July 2007. Property flooding occurred in
Cheltenham from surface water, the River Chelt and other
rivers, including Hatherley Brook and Wymans Brook.
Around 600 properties were flooded in Cheltenham in July and
50 – 100 properties in June. The Cheltenham to Birmingham
railway line was also affected by floodwater.
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