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Published: January 21st 2021
Day 305 - Rain in biblical proportions . It started yesterday morning .It feel heavily. The deluge from the sky came on the back of Storm Christoph. We knew it was coming . The sky blackened and the rain fell in sheets . Not what we wanted living by a river which up to now had been benign . It rained until lunchtime . It continued through the afternoon . Our phone rang and a message came - we had moved from Flood Alert to Flood warning . The texts kept pinging in as the rain continued to fail . By evening it had not stopped and a quick check on the Natural Resources Wales site showed the river Dee was rising quite rapidly ., It had not reached its highest point but it was clearly heading that way.
We spent a pensive night wondering how high the river would rise . It was our first taste of living on a flood plain . The river Dee meanders its way quietly most of the time from deeper within Wales . It passes from Bala Lake down through Llangollen before finding itself winding like a snake around the Bangor Racecourse and
skirting our tiny village . The rain we were getting was doing us no favours . The electrician is coming tomorrow and the roofer . They might not be able to get in if it floods . We don't know the extent of the flood but were sure by the time we went to bed that it would cause us a massive problem . We have had Covid thrown at us , tradesmen who never return our calls , don't want to get out of bed for a job and now the river . We need beavers we thought . Beavers would chop trees and branches down and dam up the river slowing its flow . We went to bed wondering what the night would bring .
11.30 the first phone call . An automated response that the Flood level was ramped up a gear . The rain had stopped but a snow was falling gently covering Ziggy and the garden . The the land line rang - another warning . Was this getting serious? At 2am we got the next set of messages . Anyone living in the vicinity of the river - they gave out addresses was
told to evacuate to the rest rooms at the local school . I looked out of the window . No flood outside . The rain had stopped and the snow was no longer falling . The flood warden was safely tucked up in bed . When he ran then I thought I would need the coracle or an ark .
We slumbered off and on until morning . Outside the world looked different . The snow lingered in places . The wind had picked up. The sky was blue and the rain had subsided . There was no sign of a flood . I went for my walk . As I left the house the warden was talking to a neighbour . We were on the news . Helicopters flew over low taking pictures of the flood . Because flood there was . The river had risen to unprecedented levels . The main road to Wrexham had been closed to traffic. Foolish drivers had chanced their arms and got stuck . The Straight mile had been gated off and cones stopped traffic using the medieval bridge . I got to the corner and the road was like a river . There was little chance of a walk today . The electrician called . He was not risking it today . The road he would have travelled was closed . Tomorrow it might be better he said . During the evening the villagers who lived closer to the river had been moved to safety at the local school which had provided a rest room. The Middle shop was flooded on the very day they had booked storm doors to be fitted . Everyone smiled though as I passed them . Are you Ok? They asked . The Fire and Rescue were parked up with their landrover and lifeboat all ready to save anyone caught in the flood . Hopefully their services would not be required . As long as the rain holds off today the floods should subside . The water on the fields would slowly dry up and dry land would be seen again . The roofer is due this afternoon , He has not called to say he wont be coming but I guess he too might stay away until tomorrow .
The police are out in force . Everywhere I looked they either stood talking to each other or talking to passers by. Some stood outside the school drinking hot tea . I have never seen so many police or police cars in a long while . Offers of a bed for the night came quickly . We don't need them but it is good to know some people care about you out there .
Sion kept to himself . Being a sheep he avoids water in any way shape or form . This was too much for him . And then there is Gabby . We cannot see her , we cannot visit her as the road to the storage yard is probably under water again . We shall have to wait a few days for things to settle down again .
Lao Tzu said something quite prophetic when he uttered "Nothing is softer or more flexible than water , yet nothing can resist it " Once again Mother Nature has turned the river against us. We really need to think about how we treat her . .
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Jackie Harrison
non-member comment
Rain!!
Glad you are both ok! whew! It was certainly a stormy night - I checked the flood warnings here, just to make sure we were ok - and slept like a log!! 16mm of rain overnight although 60mm altogether in last 3 days!! At least you were not flooded! Stay safe! xxx