The document discusses the devastating 1952 flooding in Lynmouth, England. It began with over 11 inches of rain falling in 24 hours, saturating the ground and causing the East and West Lyn Rivers to burst their banks. The flood waters destroyed 39 buildings and killed 34 people as 30-foot walls of debris and 15-ton boulders were swept through town. Since then, flood prevention strategies have been implemented, including widening and deepening the river, raising riverbanks, and straightening curves to better direct water flow to the sea.

1. Nishay Patel Lynmouth Flooding Case study 05/12/2015
Lynmouth
Lynmouth is a village in
Devon, England, on the north
edge of Exmoor. It was
made popular in Victorian
times during which it
became known as ‘Little
Switzerland’. Lynmouth is
surrounded on each side by
high, steeply sloping cliffs
and there are great views
for miles around. The village
has fascinating shops
offering a range of crafts,
ceramics, glassware and
pottery. Many holiday makes
come to enjoy the slow pace
of the countryside and to
get away from the hustle
and bustle of the city.
The river seen here is
the East Lyn River.
The West Lyn River
joins it at this point.
This is called a
confluence.
This is the rivers
mouth. It is very
close to Lynmouth
and is where many
houses and buildings
were destroyed.
Not many trees in the
centre of Lynmouth.

2. Nishay Patel Lynmouth Flooding Case study 05/12/2015
The small coastal town of Lynmouth became known throughout the world
for the disaster that struck in August 1952. It had rained steadily since
mid morning and by 3pm, the sky was so
overcast that the street and house
lights went on. On the evening of the
15th, a storm sat over Exmoor and
dropped 11 inches of rain in 24 hours.
This means that a whole months worth
of rain had fallen in just the first 2
weeks of August. In the days prior to
the flood, it had been very wet and Cold,
moist and unstable air ascended up the northward facing slopes of
Exmoor. This introduced more moisture into the already heavy raining
area. The West Lyn River had risen to 30ft above previous levels. A
whopping 40ft of water gushed through the town destroying anything
that got in its way.
This caused the East and West Lyn Rivers to rise suddenly and join
together, called a confluence. Both the rivers quickly burst their banks,
and water levels continued to rise as the rainwater drained from the
moor. The steep valleys surrounding Lynmouth meant that the water was
not only deep, but also fast moving – sweeping away trees, bridges and
other large items. The human factors of the flooding were that, flooding
is made worse in towns and cities, as the ground is mostly concrete. If a
flood occurs, then there will be nowhere for it to flow into, as concrete
cannot absorb water like earth can. This causes surface runoff Another
human factor of the flood is that there were not many trees, meaning
that they could not absorb water, or stop rain from hitting the ground, as
there was nothing there to do it. The physical factors of the flood were
that, it had been a wet summer, and the peaty soil was already saturated
and could absorb anymore water. Another factor is that there was too
much rainfall! The torrential rain had caused the river to burst its banks
horribly. The streams on Exmoor were already full to overflowing,
meaning that any extra rain would cause an overflow. Bridges created
'debris dams' as trees and boulders blocked them. When they burst they
released a torrential wave of water, which surged into the village. Signs
such as the discolouration of the water were ignored. Locals just assumed
that if it were important, someone would have spoken up already. It was
clear that nobody had thought that a flood would have occurred at all
because, there was very little flood defences and houses had been built
right up to the river on a flood plain. The flood left 30ft walls of debris;
mainly from the dozens of houses, shops and cars it had swept away. 15

3. Nishay Patel Lynmouth Flooding Case study 05/12/2015
ton boulders were carried down the river as if they were just twigs, also
crushing many homes and cars. Thirty-four people lost their lives in the
Lynmouth flood disaster and 39 buildings collapsed. Many bridges, roads
and power lines were destroyed during this flooding. Survivors told how
the air smelled of sulphur on the afternoon of the floods, and that the
rain was so hard, it hurt people's faces.
Flood prevention strategies
The Lynmouth flood did not go unnoticed.
The town has now added flood defences,
and so they should be safer if a flood
should occur again. The river was also
widened and deepened so that there was
more room for water to flow in before it
reaches the sea. There is now more space
between the river and the town. The town
is safer, as if there is another flood, the
river is slightly further away, giving the
townspeople more of a warning, especially
if there is a slow flood. There are mounds
on the riverbanks, which means that river
cannot easily burst its banks because the banks are higher. The harbour
is larger as it is easier for the river to reach the sea. The Levees were
also raised which gives the river more space to flow. Lastly, the river has
been straightened so the water manages to reach the sea faster. This
Reconstruction took several years. Plans were drawn up and a model
produced, which was used for public debate.
Lynmouth: Today

4. Nishay Patel Lynmouth Flooding Case study 05/12/2015
The West Lynn River was very
narrow and formed an oxbow
lake in the centre.
The West Lynn River is now
wider, straighter and does
not split into two.
The harbour is larger then
before the flood occurred so
that efficiency to the sea is
greater.