A Royal Air Force Chinook helicopter has been sent in to a Peak District market town to stop a reservoir collapsing after it was ‘badly’ damaged during heavy rain and police told up to 6,500 inhabitants to flee.
Thousands of residents from Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire spent the night away from their homes due to what police described as ‘an unprecedented, fast-moving, emergency situation’ caused by five days of downpours.
Emergency service workers were scrambling to save the dam which could be set to burst any minute, with teams laying sandbags in order to prevent the water breaking through and wiping out the picturesque town.
Officers spent hours going door-to-door around homes in the Derbyshire village, as residents fled the area in case the 1.3million tonnes of water contained in the huge Georgian-era Toddbrook Reservoir starts to escape.
The reservoir, which contains around 1.3 million tonnes of water, has seen ‘extensive’ damage during the flooding including a huge hole in the dam wall. The helicopter was sent from RAF Odiham in Hampshire to assist.
A Royal Air Force Chinook helicopter has been sent in to Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire today to help at Toddbrook Reservoir
The scene at the Toddbrook Reservoir dam above Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire yesterday where flooding has burst the dam
Damage caused to Toddbrook Reservoir, pictured yesterday, which has led to the town of Whaley Bridge being evacuated
Emergency services at Toddbrook Reservoir yesterday near Whaley Bridge after it was damaged in heavy rainfall
Where Whaley Bridge is in relation to the reservoir and the dam wall which has a hole in it, and the flow of the water
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: ‘It will drop one-ton bags of aggregate – a mixture of sand, gravel and stone – into Todd Brook. This is intended to stem the flow of water into the reservoir.’
Videos shared by Shirebrook Fire Station showed the Chinook laden with the aggregate as it flew above the area and hovered above the the dam wall. Police said 400 tonnes of aggregate would be brought by the RAF.
Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Swann, chair of the Local Resilience Forum, said: ‘At this time the future of the dam wall remains in the balance and I would remind people of the very real danger posed to them should the wall collapse.’
Firefighters deployed from across the country used at least ten high volume pumps to reduce water to a safe level before work will begin to repair the dam wall.
Many people were told to leave their homes and directed to an evacuation point at a school in Chapel-en-le-Frith. Police added that a timescale for people to be able to return to their homes is ‘currently unknown’.
Dr Mohammed Heidarzadeh, a professor from the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Brunel University London, said the damage to the reservoir spillway put the entire dam structure at risk.
He said: ‘The spillway is now broken and a big chunk of its concrete structure is damaged.
‘There is a possibility that the spillway could then become fully broken in a few hours. If the spillway is fully gone, the embankment dam will be washed away very rapidly which could cause a massive flood.’
Richard Parry, chief executive of the Canal and River Trust, which runs the reservoir, warned it could be ‘at least 24 hours’ until they can rule out the dam collapsing.
‘We clearly don’t know the nature of the failure, we’ve not had the opportunity to examine it, but we’re operating in a very precautionary way with the other agencies,’ he told BBC Newsnight.
‘Our first priority is to draw down the water and it’s very important that we do keep everyone out of the area until that is done. It will be at least 24 hours, it could be longer, it really depends on how much progress we can make overnight and into tomorrow morning.’
He added that the last annual inspection of the structure by a senior engineer was last November.
Emergency services walked across a bridge and put down sandbags in front on the direction of the flowing water yesterday
Police told the town’s 6,500 residents to gather at a local school yesterday following the damage to the dam in Derbyshire
People gathered to watch the flood waters nesar the dam despite police having urged residents to evacuate last night
A whole host of emergency services were pictured last night as they tried to battle the damage and keep residents safe from harm
An aerial shot of the village shows which areas would be hit if the dam was to burst, as police advise residents to gather their things
People look at the reservoir yesterday as deluged communities across the North of England face yet more flooding
The Environment Agency issued a ‘danger to life’ warning covering the River Goyt yesterday, as the river could ‘rise rapidly’ due to water rushing in from the reservoir.
Dam burst killed 240 in England’s worst man-made disaster
The biggest man-made disaster in English history occurred when a Sheffield dam failed on March 11, 1864, killing 240 people.
The newly built Dale Dyke Dam – designed to supply the city’s burgeoning steel industry – burst its 100ft (30m) high banks in the middle of the night while it was being filled for the first time.
The Dale Dyke Dam in Sheffield burst its banks in the middle of the night while it was being filled for the first time in 1864
More than 700million gallons (3,200 litres) of water and tons of rubble cascaded into Loxley Valley and continued south into Sheffield town centre, destroying more than 600 houses.
It was rebuilt in 1875, but its failure led to reforms in engineering practices and mandatory standards in large-scale construction.
The most recent fatal dam failure was in 1925 when 16 people were killed in Dolgarrog, north Wales.
A small number of properties in the areas of Furness Vale and New Mills, outside Whaley Bridge but inside the flood risk area, were also evacuated on Thursday evening.
A local resident said that another section of the spillway – designed to release water – further collapsed yesterday evening.
Carolyn Whittle, who lives in Meadowfield, on the hillside in Whaley Bridge, said: ‘Another section of the concrete on the dam face has now collapsed.’
The 45-year-old, who works for GM Moving, said: ‘I’ve lived in Whaley (Bridge) for the best part of 45 years, and I’ve never seen water flood over the dam like that, ever, nor thought that we could possibly be at risk in this way.’
Evacuees were told to gather at a school three miles away in Chapel-en-le-Frith or head further afield to stay with family or friends following fears over the reservoir, which was built in 1831 and drains a 43-acre catchment area.
Police urged residents to ensure they took any pets and medication ‘for a number of days’, and asked people to ‘make alternative arrangements to stay with friends and family’.
The force said the evacuation was ‘not a decision that has been taken lightly’, adding: ‘We appreciate that there is significant impact on this community, however, this is an unprecedented, fast-moving, emergency situation.’
Just before midnight last night Derbyshire Police said they had put in place an action plan, which included using water pumps to remove water from the reservoir to relieve pressure on the dam wall.
Residents in the area have said they ‘have never seen anything like it’, despite living in the area all of their lives, one local also added that it was the worst flood in the village in living memory.
The image above shows one man climbing underneath the bridge and investigating the structure of it as other emergency workers are seen in the river
The close proximity of homes to the Toddbrook Reservoir in Derbyshire can be seen in this photograph taken yesterday
As the evening went on, emergency services continued to battle to repair the damage done and were seen in a red rescue boat
The letter given to residents in the area explaining that they are at risk from the nearby reservoir and that they need to evacuate
Yesterday afternoon a team of men could be seen observing the damage in the area after it was damaged after rainfall in Derbyshire
Police went door to door in the area telling people to leave their homes and businesses and gather at a local school for evacuation. Pictured above the reservoir with properties infront
The rest of the action plan was for 400 tonnes of aggregate to divert water from entering the reservoir and into other surrounding watercourses designed for this purpose.
Police said once those measures reduce the water to a level that is safe – work will then begin on the dam wall itself.
Last night Sarah Edgar, resident of Whaley Bridge since October 18, left with her husband, David and 10 year old son just before residents were evacuated.
The family live around a quarter of a mile from the dam. She said: ‘We have been keeping an eye on it since yesterday. It was torrential rain. I checked Facebook and everyone was saying how bad it was.
‘Our garden and the houses opposite have a brook separating them and that became a raging river, it’s washed thins away in the neighbours garden. It used to be ten foot down from garden level and yesterday it was overflowing.
‘This morning we got up and when we heard about the damage to the dam we knew we were going to be evacuated so we left earlier because my son would be panicking. It was scary, neighbours who’ve lived there for 15 years said they’d never seen anything like it.
‘We moved from Buxworth in October last year, we wish we’d stayed there. I’ve never known it to flow over like that. The police told us to take medication, animals and prepare for a few days away. My husband is a landscape gardener so he hasn’t been able to work’.
This is while one owner of a nearby local pub told which has also been evacuated told of how she called her partner.
One emergency services worker was seen with his hands on his head after battling to repair the damage. A police van and JCB digger were also picture on the scene
Footage taken from a Sky News helicopter showed the water (right) flowing though the village as boats can be seen piled up in one back garden last night
Workers in the area have been forced to use a JCB to attempt to move water at the edge of Toddbrook Reservoir into the Todd Brook
A resident of the village of Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire is advised to evacuate his home yesterday afternoon
Workers including the fire service use a JCB digger today to attempted to move water at the edge of Toddbrook Reservoir into the Todd Brook which runs alongside the reservoir and past the over flow drain that is damaged
Evacuees leave Whaley Bridge yesterday afternoon after the nearby Toddbrook Reservoir threatens to break in the severe weather
Speaking to the BBC Jennifer, owner of the Goyt Inn said: ‘Bring the dog. We have to get out. The dam is a mess. It really looks very unsafe and there’s a lot of water in that reservoir.’
Officers said people with nowhere to go will be accommodated, but ‘there is limited capacity to do so’. They added: ‘If you are unable to leave your own home and require assistance please contact 101 and ask for the police.’
Yesterday evening firefighters pumped tonnes of water from Toddbrook Reservoir following significant rainfall resulting in it overflowing, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said with a danger to life warning being issued.
It said: ‘At least ten High Volume Pumps and a number of firefighters from across the country have already been deployed to assist as part of the National Fire Chiefs Council’s National Resilience response.
‘In addition, a number of specialised members of staff including tactical advisers are at the scene. More assets could be deployed as the situation unfolds.
‘Levels in Derbyshire’s River Goyt could rise rapidly due to water coming from the nearby Toddbrook Reservoir, which contains 1.3 million tonnes of water and the dam holding it back contains 300 million gallons of water.
‘There are concerns the reservoir walls could collapse, flooding nearby homes. A wall around Toddbrook Reservoir is already showing extensive damage.’
Network Rail confirmed Northern trains between Hazel Grove and Buxton stopped in both directions and will only run again when emergency services confirm it is safe for them to do so.
Residents in the area had been given an ‘Appendix B – Evacuation Card’ which explained the major incident in the area.
It read: ‘There is a concern that you and your property are at risk from Toddbrook Reservoir, EVACUATE YOUR PROPERTY NOW.’
It then goes on to give a list of instruction of what people in the area need to do, however the paper was dated April 2018.
Residents have now become overwhelmed with the situation, with some worried that they won’t be able to get out.
Retired reporter Steve Cliffe, 66, said neighbours in the hamlet of Fernilee were flooded and cut off. ‘The problem is we just can’t get out,’ he said. Fernilee is about 1.5 miles outside Whaley Bridge, up the hill.
Workers use a JCB digger in their efforts to protect Whaley Bridge which has been evacuated yesterday afternoon
Emergency services in the village of Whaley Bridge yesterday after the nearby Toddbrook Reservoir was damaged
Emergency services at Toddbrook Reservoir near the village of Whaley Bridge today as the area was evacuated by police yesterday
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had a ‘large number ‘ of vehicles at Toddbrook Reservoir yesterday
Emergency services at Toddbrook Reservoir yesterday near the village of Whaley Bridge after it was damaged in heavy rainfall
‘What seems to have happened is that during the real cloud bust, water has come down the main road up above us, and has been siphoned down this lane. It’s never had that quantity come down it before.
‘It has ripped up the road surface and bedrock underneath, and now there’s rocks and debris deposited all over the place.’
But Andrew Mclackland, 46, who has lived in Whaley Bridge for nine years, was among those refusing to leave. He told the Manchester Evening News: ‘Well, I think it’s health and safety gone mad. It’s a big fuss about nothing.’
Anna Aspinall, 36, from Whaley Bridge, said she and others had been called to help place sandbags in the area around the dam, but were sent away after structural engineers advised ‘that the wall is at high risk of failing’.
‘We have had significant rainfall over the past few days resulting in the overflow of the reservoir, which is very rarely breached, being completely flooded over,’ she said.
‘The result is that the overflow this morning has undermining damage and there is a big risk of the village being flooded out. Residents are currently being evacuated along with businesses.
‘We are praying (the dam wall) holds whilst the Canal and River Trust try to drain the water from the reservoir. I live at the top of a hill but am very involved in community life, so want to help where I can.’
The Toddbrook Reservoir dam, above Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire, was damaged following heavy rains in the areayesterday
Local authorities fear the huge Toddbrook Reservoir containing around 1.3million tonnes of water could start to escape
Officers said people being evacuated with nowhere to go will be accommodated, but ‘there is limited capacity to do so’
Chapel-en-le-Frith High School was being hastily converted into a reception centre for hundreds of residents from Whaley Bridge and a command centre for the police operation as the mass evacuation got under way.
Squads of police officers arrived, with dozens of police Land Rovers and vans arriving and leaving the car park and officers checking equipment in the boots of their vehicles, as locals began to appear with suitcases heading for a sports centre hall where they will spend the night if friends or family cannot house them.
Paul Nash and Janet Williams, a couple from Whaley Bridge, had just arrived at the centre after being told to evacuate at around 1pm yesterday.
Mr Nash said: ‘The River Goyt is actually behind us, normally it’s 20ft down from our back garden but last night it raised up to nearly 3ft from coming over.
‘We went to work as normal, then we found out we needed to evacuate so we’ve been back home, got the cat, got what we needed to and that’s as far as we know at the moment. Bit surprised to be honest, never thought it would happen.
‘Not sure whether this dam is going to go or not, it’s a bit concerning. At the moment there’s no updates really, no-one knows anything, so we are in the dark really, we’ve not been told we can go back.
‘If the whole dam goes, it’s going to cause absolute chaos. Probably the village will go, because it goes straight through. The River Goyt goes straight through the village centre.
‘They’ve not said when we can go back, we have got to stay away. Everything is in the house we’ve worked for, worked hard for, some things can’t ever be replaced.
‘Obviously the experts are telling us it might go, there’s still a chance it might not. No-one knows when we can go back.
‘We’ve come down here to check in because they’ve told us if we check in, there’s no chance of them coming to knock the door down to check we are not still there.’
Derbyshire Police yesterday said it was unclear how long the evacuation of Whaley Bridge would last. The force tweeted: ‘Please make alternate arrangements to stay with friends/family, ensure that pets and medication that may be needed for a number of days are taken.
‘If people do not have somewhere to go then they will be accommodated, however there is limited capacity to do so. If you are unable to leave your own home and require assistance, please contact 101 and ask for the police.’
The Environment Agency yesterday issued a severe flood warning, suggesting a danger to life, covering the River Goyt at Whaley Bridge. It states that the river could ‘rise rapidly’ due to water rushing in from the reservoir.
As a helicopter hovered above the village, police were going door to door in Whaley Bridge to get everyone out. Going the other way were teams of council workers and mountain rescue vehicles heading into the village.
Dragging a suitcase up the deserted high street, local David Holt said: ‘Police are knocking on, evacuating everyone within risk of that dam wall breaking. If it’s going to go, it’s going to go straight through the village.
‘Police are asking you to gather some belongings, leave your house in a secure condition and go to a local school. We’ve taken an elderly neighbour to a friend’s house and are heading to the school now.’
Author Hanna Sillitoe lives in Buxworth, downstream from Whaley Bridge, in a hamlet called Waterside. She has not been evacuated yet. She said: ‘The river had massively come up yesterday, almost to the house.
‘But it had receded again this morning, so we thought the rains had calmed and everything had got better. But then there were fish in the garden and a lot of damage – the fences were down, trees were down, they’d been dragged down by the river.
‘The river is still flowing at a fast pace but nowhere near what it was like yesterday. The worry is if that dam goes it feeds the river, which is not built to take that level of water. So, I am moving all the important stuff upstairs.’
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had a ‘large number’ of vehicles at Toddbrook Reservoir as efforts continued to prevent the dam from bursting.
Matt Forrest, lives just six feet uphill from the reservoir and has watched the chaos unfold in his home town.
Flooding has hit the town of Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire as it was evacuated yesterday due to the threat of the reservoir
Police urged residents from the picturesque market town to ensure they took any pets and medication ‘for a number of days’
A wall around Toddbrook Reservoir in Derbyshire has been damaged today and images show a huge hole in the dam wall
The designer said: ‘We live about six feet up from the reservoir so we have managed to dodge being evacuated but only just. The rest of the entire town has had to leave. I’ve never seen anything like it, it’s the worst flooding in living memory in the village.’
Trauma nurse Philomena Smith, 53, lives on a road above the reservoir. She said: ‘Many Whaley Bridge residents who were on the bridge yesterday looking over the dam said they have lived here all their lives and never seen anything like this.
‘If the dam overflows it will join the River Goyt and be a disaster. Even last night many houses had started to place sandbags up against their doors.
‘Today the bridge is now closed and the concrete has broken away – the whole village has been evacuated and Whaley Bridge is completely closed off due to the high risk of the dam collapsing. My husband is working in Buxton but may not be able to get home tonight.’
A nearby tourist attraction to Whaley Bridge is the Ladybower Reservoir and the rarely seen abandoned village of Derwent which was flooded in the 1940s to make way for the site.
Severe flooding in South Yorkshire in 2007 sparked the evacuation of roughly 700 people around Ulley Reservoir, near Rotherham, over fears its walls could burst due to unprecedented rain and apparent ‘areas of weakness’.
Forecaster Luke Miall said showers in the area had eased overnight, though there was a possibility of rain later in the day.
He added: ‘There is still a risk of showers breaking out in the afternoon, but it’s a predominantly dry picture for Friday.’ Sporadic rain was also likely in north west Scotland and south west England.