Flooding In Central, Western UK Worst In 60 Years - AFP

[hatrack]

Thousands of people in Britain were left stranded in villages and towns Monday during the worst flooding in 60 years, which Prime Minister Gordon Brown linked to climate change. Swathes of central and western England were submerged as rivers swelled and burst their banks during four days of heavy rain, leaving thousands without clean water or electricity and facing the prospect of more rain.

The largely rural counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Oxfordshire were the worst hit, forcing Royal Air Force (RAF) helicopters to evacuate around 150 people in the RAF's biggest-ever peacetime rescue.

Speaking after a helicopter visit to the area, Brown linked the floods to climate change and pledged 200 million pounds (298 million euros, 411 million dollars) extra funding, plus a review to address future issues.

"Like every advanced industrialised country, we are coming to terms with the issues surrounding climate change," he said.

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/2007/070723152248.be1nks5n.html

[aquart]

1. This is the real terra! terra! terra!

This is the real threat. Bin Laden in NOTHING compared to it. Yet where does our money go?

[quiet.american]

2. I was following this over the weekend -- what a difference in the UK response.

I'm sure there won't have any emails detailing the the director of operations wondering what shirt he'd look best in, or that we'll see Gordon Brown practically comatose while in a meeting describing the impending disaster.