~o~
Saturday 21st. 45F/7.2C. Overcast and breezy. Modest wind reducing slowly but steadily. Wet afternoon.
A disturbed night but only two trips to the loo at 2 & 4. Up at 7.15. 60F/15C in the living room this morning. 55F/13C in the kitchen and bathroom thanks to the oil filled radiators.
8.30 Everything outside is plastered with wet leaves blown from the trees. No sign of damage or felled trees locally. I had a look round through all the windows. I shall go for a walk soon to check water levels in the field/marsh behind me.
Sea floods: At least two sea water level sensors were damaged or destroyed by waves. As extreme sea levels broke 120-year-old records. As high as 2.4m [8'] over normal. Many local towns had over 2m above normal sea levels. Temporary dams were damaged, punctured or washed out to sea in some places. A huge waste of taxpayer's money in some cases. The giant "water tubes" seem to have fared badly.
Temporary dams using big, hay bales were shown in some videos. I haven't discovered if they survived. The one at Kolding was two bales high and leaking badly against a 2m higher tide than normal. Though it must have had some useful effect in stopping the damaging waves. Or reducing the reach of the floods. A brilliant idea in such an emergency with short notice.
There were some evacuations from campsites and summer houses to local halls. Many boats and lightweight, sea front buildings are damaged or lost.
We should all thank the emergency services and everyone else involved. In dealing with the extreme conditions. Particularly as they had to cope with heavy rain and severe, storm force gusts as well as the flooding. It can't have been much fun in the dark. Electricity supplies have been lost in some areas. With the hope for a return to normal later today. The fact that salt water was involved. Will mean more damage than fresh water might have caused. The flooding is expected to subside fairly quickly. long with the winds in most places. Though north Jylland is still experiencing fierce winds.
I found an old news report about Assens safeguarding its harbour against flooding. With the title: Never Again! It has flooded repeatedly since then. Fortunately the high street rises steadily away from the harbour. So hopefully the nearest houses and shops were spared. Though there are supermarkets in the danger zone.
The rain can't have been that heavy locally. Because the other fields, which are usually puddled, were not affected. A few small branches had fallen. Nothing thicker than my thumb. The landscape looked damp and a bit battered but otherwise undamaged.
I have been watching the Danish "Head & Shoulders," TV news brigade updates. They really can't help themselves. They all think they are David Attenborough. Who was never knowingly upstaged by any living creature. Unfortunate enough to have crossed his path. These news reporters really do believe that they are the news. It's the same right around the globe! No war exists until a BBC News "Celeb" stands Head & Shoulders, in front of a pile of rubble! How else will they improve their astronomical income for the coming Cleb dance off?
There wasn't much new to see from either TV2 nor DR. You only need to watch some idiot. Standing in driving rain and a gale, while holding a microphone. Up to his knees in seawater. While wearing normal trousers and a bum freezer, fashion jacket. So see how totally unprepared, or totally uninterested [?] they really were. For reporting this "once in a 100 year" event. Mind you, the football and badminton were both well covered! So that's alright then.
10.30 I'll have to go shopping, or starve. The house is empty. Two eggs and two slices of frozen toast bread left.
12.30 Returning from a three bag, shopping trip in the MM. Nobody could ever accuse me of being a "Prepper!" It stayed dry but occasionally windy. I saw two trees which had been brought down by the wind. Falling onto the adjoining fields fortunately. A large, bushy branch had fallen but remained on the verge. Several fields had large puddles where they had collected rain from steep hillsides.
13.00 48F/9C Overcast. Lunch. Reports are flooding in [?] of the damage caused by the record high, seawater levels. The German/Danish border town of Flensborg, in particular, looked badly affected. With streets and large open areas visibly under water. Elsewhere, summer houses have collapsed or are flooded. There is a warning of the risk of contamination from sewage and chemicals in the floodwaters. Which may remain in the mess which it leaves behind. Contact is to be avoided.
15.30 I have lit the stove. The towels I put out this morning feel as wet as when they went out. Rain is supposed to arrive at 16.00. So I brought in the first batch of towels. To be replaced by another load going outside. I always wash the towels in batches. They go into the [bathroom] laundry basket as soon as they are too damp to use. A hand towel often after only one day and bath towels always after a shower. Poorly heated rooms do not let towels be self drying.
Permaculture is strong on wind breaks. It not only protects gardens but is supposed to reduce heat loss from buildings. Since I have no control over most of the local tree growth. I might as well look on it as a positive.
19.15 49F/9C Since I may not feel like Sunday dinner tomorrow I shall have it tonight. Chicken, mushrooms, peas, mashed potatoes and gravy. I was silly and had beer and coffee. No self discipline!
Just to add to the misery of the flooding in summerhouse areas. Some of the protective dykes are now keeping the flood water in. After it had flowed over the top without destroying them. So it will all have to be pumped out. The sea levels were so extreme that some experts are talking about a once in 300 year event.
~o~
No comments:
Post a Comment