Introduction

The floods that hit Bewdley in November 2000 exceeded the levels of 1998. The river was 5.8 metres above normal whereas in 1998 the level had reached 5.0 metres.

The photographs on these pages do not attempt to show the damage to individual properties and the distress suffered by their owners - they just reveal the extent of the flooding.

In common with other towns and villages up and down the Severn flooding on this scale had not been seen since 1947. The plight of property and business owners received a great deal of media attention particularly as there was severe flooding in other parts of the country. West Sussex and Yorkshire had been badly hit.

The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, visited some of the worst affected areas on Thursday 2nd November. The photographs on these pages were taken on the afternoon of his visit to Bewdley. The river had peaked that morning. The river level fell quickly by the weekend but heavy rainstorms once more caused them to rise again to 1998 levels the following week.

The flood of 1947 was in Spring caused by a rapid thaw after heavy snows. The latest floods in close succession have followed heavy autumnal rainstorms. It has increased the speculation that we are already seeing the effects of global warming. Mankind is beginning to pay for its neglect of the environment.