莱斯特：水患警告，提防持续强降雨

Enoch

[Leicester Mercury 1月19日  英文新闻]

SOAR河边的同学注意了..

FLOOD ALERTS STAY AS MORE RAIN IS FORECAST

BY JENNY OUSBEY

10:30 - 19 January 2008

Flood warnings are still in place on Leicestershire's rivers - and more heavy rain is predicted this weekend.

Parts of the Sence, Wreake and Soar are still under alert from the Environment Agency following recent downpours.

By yesterday, the Charnwood flood patrol - a quick response unit tasked with keeping the roads safe - had rescued six cars stuck in flood water.

The team, made up of Andy Cadle, 48, and Ricky Smith, 36, also put out road diversion signs telling drivers not to use certain roads.

While the pair were dealing with a motorbike already stuck in the water, a car mounted the pavement to stop its wheels sinking into the two-foot-high waters in Slash Lane, near Mountsorrel.

Andy said: "We had a new Mercedes in there yesterday. It's nearly getting as bad as last summer. Yesterday, we had an articulated lorry which tried to go through Slash Lane and his clutch failed halfway.

"People move the signs to get through, but then it puts other cars in danger.

"We used to do these flood patrols about twice a year, but now we do this about four to six times a year."

The unit rings local radio stations regularly to keep listeners updated with the road closures and also hands out sandbags to worried homeowners.

Ricky said: "I pushed a car out with my hands before and we helped a van the other day.

"We're not supposed to pull people out but you feel like you've got to help them.

"They are stupid to go through it in the first place, but you can't really leave them stranded."

As of yesterday evening, 23 roads were listed as impassable in Leicestershire and each potential flood area is checked three times throughout the day and night.

Last night, the River Wreake and its tributaries from Kirby Bellars to the River Soar at Syston were under a Flood Watch, which warns of flooding of low lying land and roads. The River Soar and tributaries from Sharnford to the River Trent, at Thrumpton Park, is also covered by this warning.