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Dozens rescued from flash floods

A major rescue operation is continuing in north Cornwall, where flash floods have devastated a coastal village.

Heavy storms on Monday afternoon caused 6cm (2ins) of rain to fall in two hours in the Boscastle area.

Seven rescue helicopters were scrambled to winch people stranded on rooftops and in cars to safety.

Rescue workers described the situation as "horrendous" as buildings and cars were washed into the sea, and up to 1,000 people may have to be evacuated.

Michael Mulford, spokesman for RAF Kinloss which is co-ordinating the military rescue effort, said hundreds more people could need air-lifting from the flood-stricken area.

There was some speculation the flash flooding could have been caused by Ministry of Defence experiments in rain-making. By dropping dry ice into clouds, the idea was to start a heavy storm which would bog down enemy movements.

Survivors of the disaster called for - but never got - an inquiry. The MoD denied it was to blame.

I suspect that both were caused by the tail-end of a hurricane in the US.

Seven helicopters from the Royal Navy and the Coast Guard involved in this rescue. That is some serious air-power

Seven helicopters doesn't seem that impressive to me. I noticed the rescue was being coordinated from RAF Kinloss which is about as far away from Cornwall as it's possible to get.

I was wondering what would happen if we were to get a similar disaster where I live. HMS Daedelus (the FAA base at Lee-on-Solent) was closed down in 1996 due to defence cutbacks. The Coastguard still operates one S-61 from there to cover the whole south east coast of England. The nearest FAA/RAF rescue helicopters are now based at RAF Chivenor in Devon.