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| Cornwall floods: Coverack wakes up to 'devastation' | Cornwall floods: Coverack wakes up to 'devastation' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Heavy rain which sent a 4ft torrent of water through a Cornish village has left a "devastating" scene, a fire chief said. | Heavy rain which sent a 4ft torrent of water through a Cornish village has left a "devastating" scene, a fire chief said. |
| About 50 properties were damaged and several people had to be rescued in Coverack, on the Lizard Peninsula, as storms hit on Tuesday afternoon. | About 50 properties were damaged and several people had to be rescued in Coverack, on the Lizard Peninsula, as storms hit on Tuesday afternoon. |
| Water swept through the village, leaving roads in and out impassable. A school bus remains stranded. | Water swept through the village, leaving roads in and out impassable. A school bus remains stranded. |
| Emergency services are meeting "to co-ordinate the recovery phase". | Emergency services are meeting "to co-ordinate the recovery phase". |
| Latest on the big clean-up after the flash flood | Latest on the big clean-up after the flash flood |
| It comes as storms across other parts of the south of England also caused problems elsewhere. | It comes as storms across other parts of the south of England also caused problems elsewhere. |
| Flash flooding trapped people in their homes in Kent as storms and lightning streaked across the south of England. | Flash flooding trapped people in their homes in Kent as storms and lightning streaked across the south of England. |
| In Cornwall, heavy rainfall hit at about 15:00 BST on Tuesday and about 50 properties are thought to be affected by the flooding, but there were no reports of serious injuries. | In Cornwall, heavy rainfall hit at about 15:00 BST on Tuesday and about 50 properties are thought to be affected by the flooding, but there were no reports of serious injuries. |
| Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said its crews attended "multiple flooding-related incidents" and urged people to avoid the area. | Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said its crews attended "multiple flooding-related incidents" and urged people to avoid the area. |
| Stan Harris had been laying slate in the village when the rain began to fall. | Stan Harris had been laying slate in the village when the rain began to fall. |
| "We started to hear the rumble and then suddenly I was hit with marbles, hitting me in the face. I couldn't get out. I was just stuck in a shed," he said. | "We started to hear the rumble and then suddenly I was hit with marbles, hitting me in the face. I couldn't get out. I was just stuck in a shed," he said. |
| "In the end I thought, 'I've got to get home', so we left and it took me nearly an hour just to go a couple of miles up the road, and everything was hitting me down through the village." | "In the end I thought, 'I've got to get home', so we left and it took me nearly an hour just to go a couple of miles up the road, and everything was hitting me down through the village." |
| He said he thought his was the last vehicle to make it out of the village. | He said he thought his was the last vehicle to make it out of the village. |
| "By the time we got up past the lady we were working for, she said we were probably one of the last ones to get through because then another van floated through. | "By the time we got up past the lady we were working for, she said we were probably one of the last ones to get through because then another van floated through. |
| "By the time we got home it was chaos. Absolute chaos." | "By the time we got home it was chaos. Absolute chaos." |
| In Coverack: Jon Kay, BBC News | |
| So far, the main focus has been Coverack's pretty harbour, which is littered with debris of every kind. | So far, the main focus has been Coverack's pretty harbour, which is littered with debris of every kind. |
| I've seen boulders, fence panels, a shed, a mobility scooter and even a kitchen sink, which have all been washed down from the hills above in the torrents of water. | I've seen boulders, fence panels, a shed, a mobility scooter and even a kitchen sink, which have all been washed down from the hills above in the torrents of water. |
| The mud and silt are unpleasant - but that damage is mainly cosmetic. | The mud and silt are unpleasant - but that damage is mainly cosmetic. |
| The more worrying aspect of all this for local people is the main road into the village. | The more worrying aspect of all this for local people is the main road into the village. |
| A route which normally brings in thousands of tourists every day during the summer months is a total mess. The Tarmac has been ripped up. | A route which normally brings in thousands of tourists every day during the summer months is a total mess. The Tarmac has been ripped up. |
| There are holes several feet deep, exposing pipes and cables. Repairing this road looks like a major engineering task. | There are holes several feet deep, exposing pipes and cables. Repairing this road looks like a major engineering task. |
| "But we're Cornish," said one local lady. "We'll cope". | "But we're Cornish," said one local lady. "We'll cope". |
| Adam Paynter, leader of Cornwall Council said, "With things like this, money won't be a problem - we do have reserves we can use for this type of incident." | Adam Paynter, leader of Cornwall Council said, "With things like this, money won't be a problem - we do have reserves we can use for this type of incident." |
| He added: "It's been absolutely unbelievable to see. I think it's going to take a little while to get this sorted out and tidied up but obviously the main thing is that nobody's been injured and everybody is OK in the village. | He added: "It's been absolutely unbelievable to see. I think it's going to take a little while to get this sorted out and tidied up but obviously the main thing is that nobody's been injured and everybody is OK in the village. |
| A meeting for local residents is being held in the village's Paris Hotel at 11:30, where Cornwall Council staff will provide "advice and guidance" to those affected. | A meeting for local residents is being held in the village's Paris Hotel at 11:30, where Cornwall Council staff will provide "advice and guidance" to those affected. |
| A major incident was declared at 17:20 on Tuesday and the helicopter was deployed to rescue the people trapped on the roof. | A major incident was declared at 17:20 on Tuesday and the helicopter was deployed to rescue the people trapped on the roof. |
| 'Devastating' flood | 'Devastating' flood |
| Assistant Chief Fire officer Phil Martin said there was now a "pile of rubble" about "3ft or 4ft high, that goes across about 20ft". | Assistant Chief Fire officer Phil Martin said there was now a "pile of rubble" about "3ft or 4ft high, that goes across about 20ft". |
| "You can see rubble on the beach and debris that's been washed down by the water," he added. | "You can see rubble on the beach and debris that's been washed down by the water," he added. |
| He described the flash flood as "devastating", adding "when I was listening to this incident unfold on the radio I had a real fear that this was going to have a tragic outcome ". | He described the flash flood as "devastating", adding "when I was listening to this incident unfold on the radio I had a real fear that this was going to have a tragic outcome ". |
| The Maritime and Coastguard Agency sent a helicopter from Newquay which rescued two people from a house. | The Maritime and Coastguard Agency sent a helicopter from Newquay which rescued two people from a house. |
| Have you been affected by the flash flood? If it is safe to do so, you can share your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Have you been affected by the flash flood? If it is safe to do so, you can share your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |