New Flooding Update

Update on flooding incidents – 12 o’clock on 20 December

More than 100 members of staff from the Council’s Highways, Environment and Fire and Rescue services were involved in dealing with calls related to the flooding caused by the heavy rain experienced across Cornwall over last night and into this morning.

Teams have dealt with around 60 incidents over the last 18 hours, with 50 calls received by the Council’s customer contact centre since 8am.  The majority of these have related to surface water flooding on some roads, with other calls relating to flooding of individual properties and some minor landslips.  

Specialist swift water rescue technicians from Bude Fire Station were called to the aid of a driver who had become trapped in flood water at Rodds Bridge near Lower Upton, Bude.

It appears the man became trapped after driving over a humpback bridge crossing the Bude Canal. The man managed to get out of his car, but as he was surrounded by fast flowing and rising water, he called the fire service for help. When firefighters arrived on the scene, the swift water rescue team reached the man and escorted him to safety.

Staff are continuing to deal with incidents and will remain on standby throughout the rest of the day and overnight.  

The main incidents include:

Flooding incidents ( property / business premises etc) :

• Tywardreath – small landslip
• Mevagissey
• Heamoor
• Newlyn Bridge
• Bugle – Bowling Green
• Gunwalloe
• St Keverne

 Porthhallow

• Gorran Haven
• Polbathic
• St Day
• Altarnun
• Launceston
• Cornish Market Road, Par
• Mevagissey –minor landslip
• Lerryn – 2 minor landslips

Surface water flooding on roads

• St Blazey
• Trethowell
• A30 Canonstown and St Erth
• A390 Britannia
• B3275 Pentewan ( possible landslip)
• Seaton
• A274 Torpoint
• A387 Sandplace   
• Mullion
• St Stephens
• St Buryan
• Michaelstow
• Baldhu Chapel
• Townsend / Fraddam B3302
• Coads Green B3257
• Leedstown B3280
• Glynn Valley - A38
• Sladesbridge
• Washaway
• Fraddon
• Stenalees
• Quintrell Downs / Kestle Mill
• B3280 to Goldsithney off of the Marazion By Pass (A394)
• Sweetshouse / Lostwithiel
• Splatt (Wadebridge)
• A3078 Tregony to St Mawes
• A39 Perranarworthal
• Hayle to Leedstown at Fraddam
• Polperro

The latest reports from the MET Office and the EA state that around 60 mm of rainfall has fallen over night and this morning. Flood warnings are in place for the Rivers Cober. Hayle, Tresillian, Neet, Upper Tamar, Ottery, Kensey, Mid Tamar and Lower Tamar. There is still an Amber rainfall warning in place until 3pm.  The rain is then due to clear from West Cornwall.  Friday is expected to be a mainly dry day.   

However further heavy rain is expected on Saturday, Sunday and Monday – with an average of between 15 to 25mm , and the possibility of up to 30 mm over hills and moors.  As this is already falling on saturated ground, there is the possibility of further localised flooding in some areas.

Please contact Cornwall Council on 0300 1234 100 with specific flooding reports.

All the agencies are continuing to monitor the situation and will react to incidents as required.

            Kind regards

          David Owens ( Duty Director)