Nytt fra England som står under vann. Selv Blair kan ikke lenger ignorere
det klimatiske alvor. Spørsmålet er om det er annet enn ordgass.
Karsten Johansen
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1004000/1004031.stm
Thursday, 2 November, 2000, 16:44 GMT Blair pledges cash to fight floods
A Bewdley family are evacuated from their home Prime Minister Tony Blair has
promised financial help for towns and regions battling to defend themselves
from flooding.
He said there would be money to help with measures such as building flood
defences, but stressed there was a limit to what could be done financially.
It was important to deal with the long-term issues - such as climate change
- being blamed for the weather, he said.
Mr Blair was speaking during a tour of some of the areas which are suffering
the most from the worst floods to hit Britain in 50 years.
Conditions are set to get worse before they improve, with more heavy
downpours predicted.
The Environment Agency says almost all rivers and streams are at full
capacity, and 14 severe flood warnings on nine rivers have been issued, with
Yorkshire and the River Severn the chief areas of concern.
'Appalling'
The first stop on Mr Blair's tour on Thursday was Bewdley, in
Worcestershire, where many residents have been forced to evacuate their homes.
Dressed in a long raincoat and wellington boots, Mr Blair surveyed the
stricken town from its main bridge over the swollen River Severn, which is
flowing at 10 times its normal volume for this time of year.
"The flooding is appalling. It is a very serious problem for people who have
had to be moved out of their homes and businesses," he said.
"We've got to put in the right flood defences, which in fact, ironically,
here are starting next week.
"In the longer term we've got to do more to combat the reasons why the
climate's changing, not just here but in Europe and the rest of the world at
the moment.
"I think the world, for far too long, has simply treated this issue of
climate change as not sufficiently important - well that's no longer an
option.
"There's going to be a limit to what we can do financially, and what's
important is therefore to make sure we deal with the long-term issues as
well."
Mr Blair's helicopter tour took him on to Shrewsbury, where he repeated his
concerns about how to combat future flooding.
"We are investing a very great deal already in flood protection - we've
increased the budget of the Environment Agency, but I think frankly we're
going to have to do more," he said.
"These are the worst floods since 1947 but they are only two years after
previously very bad floods."
'Misery to continue'
Mr Blair's tour is also taking in York. The Deputy Prime Minister, John
Prescott is visiting other areas hit by flooding.
The Environment Agency's chairman, Sir John Harman, also visited Bewdley to
see the damage for himself.
He said: "On the River Severn, and possibly in Yorkshire, flooding will get
much worse before it gets any better.
"We are already dealing with floods which, in geographical extent, are
probably the most widespread since the great floods of 1947 and in some
places as severe.
"The misery is set to continue."
From Yorkshire to Kent, homes are still being evacuated as flood waters show
no sign of diminishing, despite the respite of a few rainless hours overnight.
More than 10,000 families in Dover, Kent, have been told to boil drinking
water after bacteria was discovered in the supply, believed to be a result
of the flooding.
Evacuations
As well as the severe flood warnings, the Environment Agency has issued a
severe weather warning for south-west England and Wales.
"The situation will be much the same as overnight," said a spokeswoman.
"Heavy rain is forecast over the south-west and Wales, and the forecasts
through to the weekend do not look particularly good."
Water levels in the River Ouse and River Derwent in Yorkshire are still high
and are being closely monitored.
Travel
Travellers were still facing misery on road and rail.
Railtrack said trains were running on the majority of routes, but many were
restricted to emergency timetables put in place after the Hatfield rail crash.
Services in the West Country, South Wales and the North-East were severely
delayed or cancelled due to flooding and track damage.
The AA said motorists faced numerous delays, although most major routes were
operating normally.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Nov 02 2000 - 20:51:17 MET