WHALEY BRIDGE, United Kingdom, Aug 5, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Emergency services
worked into the night on Sunday at a reservoir in central England that
threatens to flood an entire town, following further heavy rain.
More than 1,500 people have been evacuated from the Derbyshire town of
Whaley Bridge after part of the dam wall holding back the Toddbrook Reservoir
collapsed on Thursday following downpours.
Crews have been working around the clock to pump water out of the
reservoir, with the level reduced by over four metres by Sunday, according to
the Canal and River Trust, which owns the reservoir.
“We have planned ahead of time to ensure we have sufficient pumps working
through the night to mitigate against the expected rainfall,” the trust said,
adding that the reservoir was only at 55 percent capacity.
A military Chinook helicopter has meanwhile also dropped 530 tonnes of
aggregate to shore up the damaged part of the dam, and it is now being
cemented into place.
“The levels of the reservoir are being monitored closely, including the
impact that this is having on the wall and the surrounding infrastructure,”
Derbyshire police said in a statement.
Police said once a stable level was reached to allow engineers to assess
damage to the wall, authorities would decide whether residents and businesses
could return to Whaley Bridge.
Residents were allowed back on Saturday to collect any essential items,
but this was stopped on Sunday.
“The current situation at the reservoir is still critical and the threat
to life remains very high,” said deputy police chief Rachel Swann.
If the dam fails, emergency services vehicles will sound their horns three
times while a loud hailer will also blast out across the town — where some
families have decided to stay put.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited the area on Friday, where he said the
180-year-old dam would require a “major rebuild”.