Case Study
Topic
Displaced Communities
Incident / Exercise
Incident: Carlisle Floods, 8 January 2005
Background and Context
On the night of Friday 7 / Saturday 8 January 2005, severe storms and
unprecedented rainfall on already saturated ground fell across Cumbria.
Over the Friday night and into Saturday, this caused extensive flooding and
storm damage particularly in the Carlisle area.
The impacts of this included:
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3 deaths
-
1,925 homes and business flooded - to 2 metres
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3,000+ people homeless for up to 12 months+
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40,000 addresses without power
-
3,000 jobs put at risk.
Those made homeless were often out of their homes for an extended
time-scale:
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50% back after 9 months
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70% after 12 months
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90% after 18 months
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20-30 properties > 24months.
How the Topic was Handled
Key points were:
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The advice was that homelessness would be major issue.
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Exhaustive scenario planning carried out on options for provision of
large scale temporary accommodation.
-
Questionnaires, leaflets, door knocking, adverts and media coverage
seeking to establish needs.
-
High percentage of owner occupiers meant that insurance companies
supported their temporary accommodation needs.
-
Growing student population, national trend to buy-to-let investment, post
foot and mouth investment in this sector by retiring farmers, and
availability of tourist accommodation, all supported capacity to help
meet temporary accommodation requirements.
-
Private sector rent levels doubled during recovery period.
-
Of 3,000+ people made homeless, only 50 actually re-housed as homeless
via scheme to fast-track void Registered Social Landlord stock. Funded as
part of £1.5 million in Government aid.
-
Insurance company terms and conditions in relation to length of time
and/or cash limit on temporary accommodation cover caused a second wave
of accommodation needs/problems.
-
Some conflict between tourist demands and displaced residents when
tourist season started.
Once displaced, other issues caused by dislocation manifested themselves,
including:
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Support / caring mechanisms for the elderly by neighbours, etc.
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Normal childcare arrangements.
-
Additional travel to work, school, doctors, and other normal service
outlets.
-
Lost friendship groups for young people and access to recreational
activities.
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Community activity and social networks.
-
Re-direction of mail and telephone contacts, especially benefits,
pensions, banking, etc.
Actions to help address these included:
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Information via media, newsletters, leaflets, community support centres.
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Advice via above and Communities Reunited and helplines.
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Provided access to telephones, computers, help with correspondence.
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Neighbourhood meetings and workshops.
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Drop in sessions in displaced neighbourhoods.
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Social events to bring displaced communities together.
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Supporting young people document (see Additional Documents below).
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School based projects.
-
Community self help groups established, financed and supported by City
and County Councils, Environment Agency and Cumbria Community Foundation.
Lessons Identified
Pre-planning of the above types of support to enable rapid deployment.
Contacts for Further Information
John Mallinson
Head of Scrutiny and Emergency Planning Services
Carlisle City Council
Tel: 01228 817010
E-mail: johnm@carlisle.gov.uk
Lindsay Cowen
Emergency Planning Officer
Cumbria County Council
Tel: 01228 815700
E-mail: lindsay.cowen@cumbriaepu.gov.uk
Additional Documents
Carlisle Case Study on Needs of People – Non-Health
Supporting young people document
