Flooding Case Study: Responses to Boscastle
Geography: KS3, topic 8.2.6
Responses to the Boscastle Flash Flood in 2004
There were immediate and long-term responses to the Boscastle flash flood that happened on 16th August, 2004. These responses included:
New bridge with a higher arch
- Increasing the height of the bridge's arch should stop the bridge from becoming a dam if flooding happens again.
Deeper and wider river channel
- A new £10 million pound scheme tried to stop this happening again.
- The River Valency was widened by 3 metres and lowered by 2 metres.
- 3 gauges were introduced to monitor water levels.
Rebuilding
- Buildings and roads had to be rebuilt.
Emergency rescues
- Evacuation was difficult because the flooding happened so fast.
- 100 people were airlifted to safety.
- Nobody died.
Temporary accommodation
- People whose accommodation got flooded were put up in temporary accommodation.
Test yourself on Flooding Case Study: Responses to Boscastle
What was set in motion in 2008 in response to the Boscastle flash flood?
What happened to the bridge in Boscastle?
What happened to the River Valency after the flood?
What happened to people whose accommodation got flooded during the Boscastle flash flood?