Somerset Levels Flashcards
Where are the Somerset Levels located
south west of the UK in Somerset
Which two rivers notably flow through the Somerset Levels
River Tone and River Parrett
Why is the Somerset Levels area prone to flooding
low lying nature
When did the severe Somerset Levels floods happen
winter of 2013 to 2014
How much rain fell during January and February 2014
around 350mm
What caused the rivers to overflow
heavy rain and storm surges
Why did high tides worsen the floods
prevented freshwater from draining
Why were rivers less able to hold water
not dredged in over 20 years
How many homes were flooded
over 600
What happened to residents during the floods
evacuated into temporary accommodation
How many farms were evacuated
16
What happened to power supplies during the floods
cut off in areas
How were people’s livelihoods affected
severely disrupted
What was the estimated cost of the damage
over 10 million pounds
How much agricultural land was flooded
over 14000 hectares
How many livestock were evacuated
over 1000
What contaminated the floodwater
sewage chemicals and oil
What happened to ecosystems during the floods
destroyed and food supplies limited
What was left after the floods
debris that had to be cleared
What happened to stagnant floodwater
had to be reoxygenated
What was an immediate response to warn residents
severe flood warnings issued
What temporary defences were used
barriers and sandbags
What was dredged to increase river capacity
8km of River Tone and River Parrett
What drainage improvements were made
roads were raised
