Boscastle

Boscastle

1. Causes

   • Long Term
     • Small bridge acted as dam
     • River was shallow/narrow
     • Area of Boscastle is impermeable
     • 2 tributaries connected into 1 confluence which flooded
   • Short Term
     • 200,000 litres of rainfall per second
     • Ground already saturated
     • Extreme wet weather
     • Cloud burst

2. Effects

   • Long Term
     • 4 houses washed away
     • 52 houses flooded
     • 4 cars lost to sea
   • Short Term
     • £2million worth of damage
     • £15million claims to insurance
     • Localised polution
     • Total cost of £50million

3. Solutions

   • Long term
     • Flood relief channel
     • River widened and deepened
     • Afforestation futher up in drainage basin
     • River straightened
   • Short term
     • Deforestation around river
     • Bigger bridges
     • Old car park removed and set up in higher ground