lynmouth flood 1952 …it’s going to be a very wet tale…

LYNMOUTH FLOOD 1952

…it’s going to be a very wet tale…

setting the scene I

Lynmouth is situated on the North Coast

of Devon

…so where is this Lynmouth place?…

…oh, so that’s where all the action is going to take place!!…

setting the scene II:

August of 1952 was extremely wet

the ground had become saturated

on the evening of August 15th 230mm (23cm) of rain fell in a freak storm

lasting 14hours (over 3000million gallons of water)

Immediate surface run-off causing a flash flood

…what were the CAUSES of the flood?…

…I’m singing in the rain, I’m singing– hang on it’s getting very wet here! …

setting the scene III:…yep – you guessed it, more

CAUSES…

Impermeable (water can’t soak in) rocks mean increased run-off

Steep river gradient & small drainage basin & narrow river valley’s

The River Lyn had been narrowed and diverted - to build hotels & stuff!

…hmm – good idea? let me think …

THE FLOOD

the impacts

…this is all pretty serious stuff…

The narrow arch of the river became blocked & the river flowed down the main

street – following the easiest path

34 people killed & 90 houses/hotels destroyed &

130 cars/19 boats destroyed

Over 100,000 tonnes of boulders left in the main street – one boulder found in the basement of a hotel weighed 7.5 tonnes

Rocks of 10m3 moved by traction

Lynmouth Today

…phew! glad they did something…oh! one last thing!…

(A)River takes natural route (same as flood)

(B)Floodplain left to take water

(C)Larger & wider bridges

(D)Where hotel was is now open

(E)Channel has been straightened to allow

water to flow away more quickly