To feel that the South West has been abandoned (long and ranty)

[zeezeek]

My family still live in Cornwall and they have been completely battered by the wind and the rain for weeks now. Last night they had to be evacuated from their house. The main train line down to Cornwall (in fact also half of Devon) is completely destroyed and a lot of prime agricultural land in Somerset is under water.

People are losing their livelihoods and they have been lucky that there have been no loss of life. In a region where there is already high unemployment - the impact on the farming, fishing and tourist industries will just make the situation worse. Freight trains can no longer get down past Exeter.

The EA are effectively blaming the poor buggers who are affected by this and seemingly forgetting that people and homes are also affected. The government doesn't give a shit and the Environment minister didn't even bother taking a pair of wellington boots with him on his photo opp visit. Our future King made silly comments about how a disaster beings people together while his waste of space daughter in law spends taxpayers money jetting off to the Caribbean. Comments in sensible, intelligent newspapers are also blaming people for daring to live on a flood plain (which has never flooded to this extent) and by the sea.

I know that I am BU, but tonight - when my parents are still not allowed home and my brother has had his fishing boat sunk - I am feeling very, very pissed off with the media who seems to be making such a big deal out of a 2 day tube strike - there are buses.

Sorry, but needed to vent. Have nothing against Londoners - I lived there for years.

I know that supply ship well. It's not moved lately.

It's the unfairness which makes me rage. Why do CalMac get all these subsidies and the Scillonian gets fuck all? The only answer anyone can give is that "Well, they've never had one so they can't get one."

They're just going round in circles with the transport issues. The planned improvements to the quays at St Marys and Penzance are now delayed (Penzance quay was also damaged the other night). They are supposed to be putting a hard surface down at Lands End - we'll see.

Lord Berkeley been raising the subsidy issue in the House of Lords quite a bit recently. It must be costing a fortune in Air Sea rescue helicopter call outs now the helicopter service has gone.

I'm now wondering how I'll get there later this year as I was planning to use the train to Penzance.

I saw the harbour wall the morning after. The harbour master says it's not as bad as it looks. Looked pretty fucked to me.

The line's alright between Penzance and Plymouth I believe. I imagine it'll be a bus between Exeter and Teigbmouth maybe.

WETAugust - if only - guess what - it's raining again

wetaugust Thanks for the information about the Scillies, my DM and I were talking about what might be going on there only today. We hadnt seen anything on TV or in the papers, we have been there during scary atlantic storms in the past and these are much worse!
People on the Islands must feel very isolated right now.

OH no - not more sodding rain! It's like living in a bloody rain forest.

Yes, the islands get very little coverage in the news.

I'll tell you something cute though. The day before the storm struck on 4th Jan, over 150 grey seals found the most sheltered beach on the islands and hauled themselves right up away from the water. Very wise creatures. They knew it was coming.

I think animals can sense pressure changes.

Oh I didn't know that they indeed had asked for Dutch equipment/people. They are specialists so I expect them to find a way to deal with the problems as long as they are allowed extra resources if and when because in these conditions a few pumps is clearly not enough.

I hope they can help to sort things out as quickly as is possible.

I'm bracing myself for tomorrow... the wind is starting to pick up outside and several people I know who live on the Plymouth waterfront have chosen to move out for the weekend just in case.
it's a bit scary... I've lived here for almost my whole life and i have never known such unrelenting weather as this past month.

I'm sure they can. I like to sit on the bank on the west coast of Bryher and watch the seals bobbing about.

There's some really amazing footage of St Ives, Bude and Seaton storm surges.

The Bude one has surfers surfing up the canal next to the High St on a storm surge. The St Ives and Seaton ones are like tsunamis.

Seaton

Very scary.

I haven't read the whole thread, but I keep seeing the news stories and feeling really quite angry that so little has been done. I am wondering what I pay my taxes for if it's not to - literally - bail out rural communities in times of serious crisis.

Is there some useful MN initiative that would help here? I have no idea what, but it would be good to think if there is something that could be done, not least so West Country MNetters did not feel so abandoned.

I can only think of offering to foster small pets (rabbits, guinea pigs etc) while people in temp accom wait for something more permanent.

But that's not much help.

You never hear about pets. But what do people who are evacuated do about their pets?

RSPCA I expect.

That was one of the lessons learned from the New Orleans flooding: people will stay in danger in flooded areas rather than leave their pets behind, so now evacuation planning includes letting owners take their pets with them.

Imagine being a lonely person who relied on their pets absolutely for love and company, and then being told to abandon them. It doesn't bear thinking about.

No, I cannot imagine having to make that choice

chip your pets fgs! In conditions like this then a chip may reuinite you if you end up separated for any reason.

My spare bedroom is on standby for rellies near Falmouth in case they need it, but I can't for the life of me work out how they expect to get up to Bristol to utilise it. Too many roads enroute seem fooked. They are furious at the Central Government response so far.

I suspect some livestock that can't be moved to higher ground will have to be destroyed before all this is over. I'm very worried about the West Country economy as so many will lose their livelyhoods in what is traditionally one of the lowest waged parts of the UK, (not enough to save much).

To be honest I'm now disgusted that the politicians haven't got the military involved properly. They have access to some VERY useful equipment, and big strong men to help carry the elderly, clear fallen trees etc is always helpful. What's the point in posturing in all over the globe if back home service families homes are being washed away?

It will be a very sad Bath & West Show this year.

Thanks FabULouse. I was just wondering yesterday how help could be sent without actually visiting. Just to link to British Red Cross too. I see they have info on their home page about the sort of help they're giving in the South West.

It's a neap. I shouldn't think it will be like last time.

HesterShaw in what way has Prince Charles behaved badly?

Did it pass OK Jaded? I saw the cafe was washed away.

Are you his PR agent?