BRITISH FLOOD DAMAGE

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26971, 21 February 1953, Page 7

BRITISH FLOOD DAMAGE

DEATHS REACH 307 LONDON, February 9. The Home Secretary (Sir David Maxwell Fyfe) said today that the death roll in Britain’s floods had now reached 307. This included.il people previously reported missing. It was estimated that Britain’s floods would cost the country between £40,000,000 and £50,000,000. The Home Secretary was speaking during the debate on all-party motion on the flood disaster moved by the Prime Minister (Mr Churchill) in the House of Commons. He warned that the flood danger was not past and that the new sea defences may be severely tested in the high tides during the next four weeks. By last night a labour force of 25,000 had closed 90 per cent, of the 1200 breaches in the sea walls.

Sir David Maxwell Fyie, giving the latest picture of,the flood damage estimates, said that more than 32,000 had been evacuated from their homes during the floods. Between 350 and 45Q houses had been destroyed. Seventeen Americans lost their lives in the floods. > More than 1000 cattle, 8000 sheep, 1500 pigs, and 20,000 head of poultry had been lost. Between 150,000 and 175,000 acres of agricultural lahd had been flooded on the night of January 31. Business and industrial premises and three oil refineries had been extensively damaged. The Home Secretary said that mines were washed in from the sea and damaged sewage systems had increased the flood hardships. The armed services had to deal with 23 mines washed ashore. He announced that the Government planned to set up a departmental committee to investigate the causes of the disaster.

After praising the spirit of co-opera-tion among the workers, the Home Secretary said: “Many, during those hard days, would say that their greatest encouragement came from the visits of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, whose concern and sympathy for those in distress was so obvious to all.” Message from Queen

The Queen today sent the following message on the British floods to the Home Secretary:

“I have been deeply moved by the crufel consequences of the storm on the night of January 31 and the resulting floods along the eastern coasts My sympathy goes out to all those of my subjects who'have suffered in this great disaster. “I and my husband have seen for ourselves something of the fortitude and patience of the bereaved and homeless, and of those who have sustained damage to their houses or land and loss of livestock.

“We were heartened to see how the scale of the catastrophe has been matched by the equal intensity of effort to repair the damage. The call for assistance was answered by countless acts of neighbourliness, courage and ingenuity, which will be remembered for many years with, gratitude and admiration.

“To all who have helped, to the armed and civil services, to the voluntary organisations, to our good friends from overseas, and to all those Io whom they have brought’ relief, my most sincere thanks.”