You can't have anything other than the deepest sympathies for the 20 million people affected in Pakistan's floods. 20 million. That's equivalent to one in three of the UK population. Flooding is an invasive, destroying force that cannot easily be controlled and although it seems trite to say so, this is exactly what happened in parts of Rhuthun/Ruthin 10 years ago this autumn. Rhuthun can empathise as well as sympathise. Lives were turned upside down and on more than one occasion.
It was in November 2000 that Rhuthun featured on the national (and UK) news. Mwrog Street, Borthyn and the lower portion of Clwyd Street were under water, all with devastating consequences. Over night, Rhuthun was cut off. Along with Mwrog Street, a retaining wall near Pwllglas severed communications from the A494 south. The A494 from Yr Wyddgrug/Mold collapsed near the Smithy. There was flooding at Eyarth bridge, Llanfair DC. Country lanes turned into torrents.
The main problem was the weak culvert along Mwrog Street. Swollen and with debris within, not only did it back up, a lorry cracked it open, devastating the street, where waters rose to several feet (to car headlamp levels, in fact) and the area to Borthyn and beyond became a giant lake. Muddy, worm-ridden, infected waters permeated housing, destroying all possessions in its inevitable path. For months, furniture and carpets were seen strewn outside properties during the clean up process. Subsequently, flooding occurred twice more and properties were on alert many times as well, with sand bags distributed and made ready.
On occasion over the coming weeks, the Rhuthun/Ruthin Blog will dust off its archive to relive some of the horrors of 2000, lest we all forget what our neighbours went through.
Do you recall anything poignant or even harrowing about the floods? Drop us an email. We won't use your name.
It was in November 2000 that Rhuthun featured on the national (and UK) news. Mwrog Street, Borthyn and the lower portion of Clwyd Street were under water, all with devastating consequences. Over night, Rhuthun was cut off. Along with Mwrog Street, a retaining wall near Pwllglas severed communications from the A494 south. The A494 from Yr Wyddgrug/Mold collapsed near the Smithy. There was flooding at Eyarth bridge, Llanfair DC. Country lanes turned into torrents.
The main problem was the weak culvert along Mwrog Street. Swollen and with debris within, not only did it back up, a lorry cracked it open, devastating the street, where waters rose to several feet (to car headlamp levels, in fact) and the area to Borthyn and beyond became a giant lake. Muddy, worm-ridden, infected waters permeated housing, destroying all possessions in its inevitable path. For months, furniture and carpets were seen strewn outside properties during the clean up process. Subsequently, flooding occurred twice more and properties were on alert many times as well, with sand bags distributed and made ready.
On occasion over the coming weeks, the Rhuthun/Ruthin Blog will dust off its archive to relive some of the horrors of 2000, lest we all forget what our neighbours went through.
Do you recall anything poignant or even harrowing about the floods? Drop us an email. We won't use your name.
Tags:
Flooding