22/02/2014 BBC Points West


22/02/2014

Similar Content

Browse content similar to 22/02/2014. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

the very latest on the dramatic day's events in

:00:00.:00:12.

Good evening from Points West. The Environment Agency says it has

:00:13.:00:16.

taken an important step in its battle to clear floodwater from the

:00:17.:00:20.

Somerset Levels with the opening of a sluice gate which diverts water

:00:21.:00:24.

out of the River Parrett. It could speed up efforts to get pumps

:00:25.:00:27.

switched back on, although some residents are worried that the

:00:28.:00:29.

diverted water might flood their homes.

:00:30.:00:37.

A small audience for this critical stage in draining the flooded levels

:00:38.:00:40.

as workers arrived to raise the Monksleaze sluice gate ` a few miles

:00:41.:00:48.

from Langport. It went up 30 centimetres, enough to release a

:00:49.:00:52.

torrent of water out of the River Parrett. Water is now being diverted

:00:53.:00:59.

out of the river. This water will end up in the drain via the Dutch

:01:00.:01:09.

pumps and eventually out to see The hope is that water levels on the

:01:10.:01:13.

Rivers Parrett and Tone will now drop, eventually allowing pumps to

:01:14.:01:16.

be switched on, pumps which will help drain the moors. But some

:01:17.:01:19.

living near the sluice gate are worried that their homes will flood.

:01:20.:01:28.

We have had a lot of flooding over this entire area since Christmas.

:01:29.:01:32.

This is the first day the waters have receded. Let's hope it is under

:01:33.:01:40.

control. In nearby Aller, a dam has been constructed to protect homes.

:01:41.:01:43.

It's a precaution, and the Environment Agnecy was today keen to

:01:44.:01:48.

reassure residents. We believe there will be no flooding but we have put

:01:49.:01:53.

in place a contingency. We will monitor and have people on the

:01:54.:02:00.

ground. We have automatic monitoring points and if we see any

:02:01.:02:03.

deterioration we will be closing the system down. Overnight, water levels

:02:04.:02:08.

on the moors dropped, allowing the sluice gate to be opened a day

:02:09.:02:12.

early, a rare bit of good fortune for those whose job it is to get

:02:13.:02:15.

roads reopened and flooded homes pumped dry.

:02:16.:02:19.

Meanwhile, efforts continue to help those affected by flooding.

:02:20.:02:25.

Volunteers driving 4x4s that can get through the waters are out every day

:02:26.:02:29.

right across the Levels, taking food, medical supplies and petrol.

:02:30.:02:33.

11 days at work in a row, David and Mary refuse to take a break. I think

:02:34.:02:39.

yes, because they've been doing that run through Thorney to Muchelney.

:02:40.:02:43.

They're part of a team of 200 volunteers who have spent the past

:02:44.:02:49.

seven weeks on call. It's a lifeline to some people, because we've been

:02:50.:02:53.

taking people like carers to people that need them twice a day. Someone

:02:54.:02:57.

had to go to the doctor's, so we go in, get them out, get them to the

:02:58.:03:01.

doctor's, which they wouldn't be able to do otherwise. Today was not

:03:02.:03:05.

an emergency, but this delivery was gratefully received. Wessex have

:03:06.:03:08.

kindly delivered me some wellies, much needed for the amount of water

:03:09.:03:13.

that we've got out and about. So yeah, it's a way of getting

:03:14.:03:17.

resources to us when we're cut off. Cut off but not forgotten.

:03:18.:03:25.

To sport, and in the Winter Olympics, the West's last hope for a

:03:26.:03:28.

medal is taking place right now John Jackson, who lives near

:03:29.:03:31.

Trowbridge, pilots Team GB1, one of two four`man bobsleigh crews. They

:03:32.:03:38.

started well are are currently in tenth place, behind the leaders

:03:39.:03:39.

Russia. Football: Yeovil secured a crucial

:03:40.:03:45.

win as they beat Doncaster 1`0. Swindon Town lost 2`0 at Leyton

:03:46.:03:49.

Orient. And Bristol City are back in the the relegation zone after losing

:03:50.:03:53.

3`0 at Sheffield United. Better news for Cheltenham: they won away at

:03:54.:03:56.

Newport. To the rugby, and good results for

:03:57.:04:00.

both our teams. Bath secured a bonus point as they beat Wasps 32`25 at

:04:01.:04:04.

the Rec. And Gloucester gained their first Premiership victory since

:04:05.:04:06.

December, beating Harlequins at Kingsholm 25`20.

:04:07.:04:11.

It's been a dry and sunny day for most of us. Here's Emily Wood with

:04:12.:04:14.

the forecast. Hello. After some fine and sunny

:04:15.:04:18.

weather today, we do have some more cloud and some outbreaks of rain to

:04:19.:04:21.

come tonight. Everywhere clouding over through this evening, and we'll

:04:22.:04:24.

see these outbreaks of rain through the night, along with the

:04:25.:04:27.

south`westerly winds continuing to strengthen, as well. It is, though,

:04:28.:04:30.

a fairly mild night, with temperatures widely no lower than

:04:31.:04:34.

seven or eight degrees. To start off with, though, tomorrow morning, it

:04:35.:04:38.

is going to be quite cloudy and damp, still with some outbreaks of

:04:39.:04:41.

rain along with some strong and gusty south`westerly winds. Into the

:04:42.:04:44.

afternoon, we'll see a little bit more in the way of dry weather, and

:04:45.:04:48.

another very mild day tomorrow, with temperatures up to 11 or 12 Celsius.

:04:49.:04:51.

Overnight Sunday into Monday, we'll see some rain for a time. That rain

:04:52.:04:55.

then clears on Monday to a few showers, but it looks like we'll see

:04:56.:04:59.

further wet and windy weather on Tuesday.

:05:00.:05:04.

And Bath's Lizzy Yarnold will be Team GB flag bearer at the Olympic

:05:05.:05:13.

Hello. For some places today I am sure it felt that spring is just

:05:14.:05:21.

around the corner. However, looming large, coming in from the Atlantic,

:05:22.:05:26.

this broad belt of cloud and this will bring rain to

:05:27.:05:27.

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS