h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The flooding etc., is devastating, I'm not directly involved even though the weather here is abominable, some roads were flooded yesterday which is why it took so long to get home from the hospital. I had the worry of my son in Sheffield who was evacuated from his shop in the train station at 2pm and my daughter in Manchester whose only transport home was her bike. Last night on BBC 24 News there was a recurring image of two temporary traffic lights being pulled over, Allan said they were two minutes from the station, and the pub (now flooded) is where the shop staff had been evacuated to! He was sat in that pub worrying about me until I rang him I think we both had lumps in our throats. He had to turn in at 5am today to sort out the shop but I've not heard whether he's been allowed through the floodwaters yet.
I used to live on Greyfriars on the Wybers Wood estate in Grimsby (Allan was born there) and according to the radio the residents are being evacuated.
Andrew's Sports Day this afternoon has been postponed to next week, so I don't have to go out, thank goodness.

Stay safe, GB. The will keep watch over your family (that's your dad now ).


W

Stay safe - glad to hear all immediate family are ok.

The River Freshney has burst its banks, that's part of Grimsby underwater.

Hopefully the worst is over now.

terrible isn't it? My parents live high on a hill, but not too far from the reservoir in Rotherham that may or may not have burst its banks by now (I haven't seen the news since lunchtime)

Their village is flooded, they haven't had power since yesterday lunchtime (relay station under water) and so haven't seen the images of the centre of Sheffield that I have which made me and worry like mad until they managed to call me via mobile last night.

fingers crossed please: they have saved up like mad and are about (like, 5am tomorrow) to depart on their holiday of a lifetime to the Galapagos. I hope they can get out ok
(getting back isn't such a worry )

Just saw the flood news on television and it looks awful.

Be safe and keep dry!

*Crosses fingers for all concerned and packs sandbags around the thread *

They brought the news about Sheffield on the radio here this morning.
I hope it will be better soon.

my parents just got their power back, and I think they'll be ok for leaving - which is all we *really* care about right now.

The man who died on The Wicker though - that was because it is a major road through town. And the 14 year old boy was killed at Millhouses which is where we used to go swimming and generally roaming around when I was a kid. It has been strange to see so many familiar places looking totally different - but it seems to be settling down now so hopefully everyone can start the cleanup soon and get back to normal.

Hi, Everyone,

I live backing on to a river with a railway embankment between us and it. Always thought we would be safe, but seeing what is happening all over the country makes us wonder.

I hope everyone is safe. The damage to properties etc. is hearbreaking and a financial nightmare, but all that really matters when push comes to shove is that people are safe.

Take care everyone

Websailor

http://www.photosalesarchive.co.uk/lightbox/index.php?category=gallery/Floods&start=0

That's some aeriel views of my town

The roads are open though so it must be receding, but the forecast is: the worst is yet to come.

Yuk, that looks seriously wet! Do you live in a house, apartment, bungalow or what? If it's a house, it might be best (from my own experience) to simply assume the worst & start getting as much as possible moved upstairs; make sure you have plenty of candles for when the elctric goes. Certainly get the insurance policies & other valuable documents into a waterproof bag, & get a personal bag together in case you have to be evacuated. (including complete change of comfy clothes, wear old tracksuit type stuff meanwhile.)Rucksacks are best if you had to be winched up to a helicopter or rowed away in a boat!Wellies are a waste of time & in fact dangerous if it's a real flood. Trainers are much better.

Animals: get pet carriers/leads etc ready, maybe practice shoving scaredy cats etc into their boxes, how Noah coped with all this i can't imagine! Don't forget food & litter, if you end up camped out in a school hall or wherever, they probably won't have those.

Make sure mobile phone is charged up & you have list of emergency numbers in your bag. Put essential meds into the bag NOW!!!

Let's hope it doesn't come to this, but being prepared is two thirds of the battle. Most people just think "oh, it can't possibly happen to me" but yes, it can & you could cope if you had to, plus be the calm one in charge & help the ones who are panicking or physically unable to help themselves.



zdt

Thanks Terri
I live in a bungalow, but my Mum lives in a house, just a couple of roads away. If I get flooded, I'd go to her. My emergency bag is already packed

Any news on what it's like in Scartho GB?

We're on flood alert for the weekend.
The Willows side of Grimsby (Cromwell Road) is underwater.

*thinks dry thoughts for the folk up north*

Yes, if Hull stays underwater I was gonna invite the meet peeps down here but that may be just as bad.


MMF has just signed up!

MMF? He lives in saffwestnodnol

Is there a canal all the way up to Hull from there, then?








Wonder if he'd put me in his pocket for the weekend

HI, Terri,

thanks for that useful advice. Something we should all copy, 'cus you just never know.

One thing I would add - make sure all personal mementoes, photos etc. - all those totally irreplaceable things which are part of our lives - are up somewhere safe or with a relative or friend who definitely isn't at risk.

Take care everyone. I have cancelled going to an event this weekend as the forecast is so awful and we would be standing in a wet field all day! Getting to old for that lark!!



Websailor

Oh yes, photos etc, definitely! When i lost everything in the Kuwait invasion, i wasn't really that bothered about actual "things" (even though we weren't covered by insurance); but the loss of personal photos, letters etc really got to me.

Let's hope the weather forecast for the weekend isn't too bad, they seem to think it may not be as wet as they first thought. It's all rather worrying though in terms of global warming/climate change stuff isn't it? Seems like extreme weather is becoming the rule rather than the exception.

zdt