Boscastle, England 2004 Flooding in MEDC Case Study

Causes:

Dead trees blocked the river channel

Heavy rainfall continuously

Remains of Hurricane Alex from Atlantic Ocean

Bodmin Moor nearby, impermeable surface = lots

of run off

Primary effects:

58 properties were flooded

4 businesses were demolished

50 cars were lost

People were trapped in buildings

Secondary effects:

Loss of tourism for the 2004 season

People couldn’t return home for 6 months, so

there was psychological trauma

The flood cost insurance companies £15 million

Future house insurance was much higher in the

area

Immediate responses:

Military helicopters airlifted 150 people to

safety

Emergency centres opened in nearby villages

50 people were evacuated to Camelford Leisure

centre

Fire, police and ambulance services also

involved

Teams searched for missing people in the harbour

Long term responses:

The river bed of the River Valency is being

widened

North Cornwall council gave £4.5 million for

flood defences- including moving a bridge which clogged the river

Repairing buildings commenced straight away in

time for the 2005 tourist season

Dead trees were removed from the river

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