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Posted July 2007
Flooding Disaster Continues....
Once again, flood devastation has hit Great
Britain, this time, the countries of Gloucestshire, Herefordshire,
Worcestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire have suffered from the
effects of the latest torrential rainfalls.
This latest event to occur in the middle of
July is the second extreme flood to hit the UK in the space of one
month. In addition to untold misery for thousands of people and the
damage caused to buildings and household contents, thousands of motor
vehicles may have to be written off or undergoe expensive repairs.
Why? Before modern technology came along, if a car engine was flooded,
you could in most cases simply wait for the engine to dry out and
it would more than likely start. Today most modern vehicles rely
on computerised engine management systems. If these are damaged by
flood water, it is likely this car part would need replacing in addition
to other sensitive engine parts assuming the vehicle is salvagable.
For those who are affected by this latest disaster,
most car insurance companies offer 24 hour claims or emergency
helplines for advice and assistance.
UK Flooding Disaster
The severe flooding which occurred in parts
of Yorkshire, Humberside and the Midlands is set to cost the taxpayer and
the Insurance Industry hundreds of millions of pounds according to Government
early estimates and the Association of
British Insurers (ABI). In some areas the damage has been so bad Her
Majesty's armed forces comprising of the RAF and Army have been brought
in to airlift sandbags to shore up flood defences and rescue civilians.
For those homeowners who have been affected
by this, there will be continuing heartache as many prized possessions
and sentimental objects may be lost forever. In the worst cases, it could
be months before some homeowners are able to inhabit their homes again.
Spare a thought also for those homeowners who did not take out any form
of home contents or buildings insurance.
For the lucky ones who did take out home insurance,
some companies were able to help immediately by dispatching staff to some
areas to help their policyholders. It is thought that central Government
may also provide additional funding to help local councils cope with the
clean up operation and assist those householders most in need.
This latest disaster has led to further calls
by the ABI, academics and other interested groups to insist more money
needs to be invested in flood defences around the UK. There are also those
who predict this type of weather is attrituble to climate change and that
in the future severe weather will become increasingly frequent.
May 2007 news
April 2007 news
October 2006
news
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