FLASHFLOODS IN ENGLAND

[tropicana]

LONDON, England (AP)
MON AUG 16th 2004
-- Emergency teams used helicopters and lifeboats to rescue up to 50 people trapped in their cars by flash floods in southwestern England on Monday, officials said.

The Coastguard said that 30 empty vehicles were washed into the harbor and two buildings collapsed under the weight of the flood waters in the Boscastle area of Cornwall.

The West Country Ambulance Service said the trapped motorists got into trouble after two inches (5 centimeters) of rain fell in a matter of hours around the Boscastle area of Cornwall.

No injuries were immediately reported.

Air Sea Rescue said helicopters and lifeboats were searching for any other people caught out by the flash floods, which also cut power to the area.

"It's a very dangerous situation," said Paul Tyler, a lawmaker representing north Cornwall. "I have never seen such rain for so long. Quite a lot of people have been trapped."

Cornwall, a province on the southwestern coast of England, is popular among tourists for its sandy beaches.

-justin-

[tropicana]

THU AUG 19th 2004

Violent storms tore across Western Europe overnight Wednesday, bringing flash flooding and landslides.
The storms forced the evacuation of dozens of people from campsites in western France.

Wednesday, at least nine people died in France after ignoring red flags warning of high winds and dangerous waters along Mediterranean beaches.

Helicopters rescued at least 50 people from vehicles trapped by mudslides in the Scottish highlands. No one was injured.

Rescuers are still looking for more than a dozen people reported missing when a flash flood poured through the southern English village of Bocastle earlier this week. The water swept more than 50 cars into the sea.

Severe thunderstorms in Denmark also harmed livestock. A lightning strike killed 31 cows sheltering under a tree.

-justin-

[Gord_on_snow]

Yes, some bizzare weather here last week. I saw a thunderstorm at around 4pm every day for 7 out of 9 days...which is very rare here. 2 of those storms were fairly violent too...one particularly so. And it hasn't really been that warm or hot either.