Vol. 80/No. 1 January 4, 2016
Gov’t policies in UK turn flooding into social disaster
CARLISLE, England — For the third time in 10 years, widespread flooding hit this largely rural northwestern region Dec. 5. Across Cumbria, Storm Desmond left nearly 7,000 homes flooded, 44 schools shut and 2,625 households without electricity.
While record rain fell on already saturated ground, what transpired was not mainly a natural disaster, but a social and class catastrophe. Like Hurricane Sandy in New York, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and past flooding in Britain, the refusal by capitalist governments to fund needed defenses guaranteed greater destruction, with the burden falling largely on workers and farmers.
The British rulers have been slashing public services and funds in the name of balancing the budget. Their National Audit Office reports that funding for flood defenses has fallen 10 percent since 2010. Protecting smaller communities is just not cost effective, they say.
Driving through the worst affected streets here a week after the storm, big piles of sodden carpets, furniture and personal belongings line the pavements, awaiting collection by local authorities. Largely left to fend for themselves, people have depended on working-class solidarity.
Among groups providing assistance is the Muslim-based Al-Imdaad Foundation, which has sent more than 60 volunteers. “We’ve been providing hot food, fresh water and helping people clear their homes,” 23-year-old volunteer Sufyaan Valimulla told the Independent.
“I’ve got no gas, no electric, no water,” Martin Wilson told Militant worker-correspondents who came to extend solidarity and get the facts out about what people face in the working-class area of Caldewgate. “Everyone’s pulling together. We’ve been told not to drink the water, but the only place giving it out is the church up the road. The electricity board has been here, but we need a certificate from an electrician to get the power back on. That costs £50 [$75].”
Steve Parker drove up with a load of donated sandbags that he and Wilson laid in the doorways of neighboring houses. “In the last flood the council provided sandbags,” said Karen Tyler, who lives in the area. “This time you have to get them yourself.”
“The insurance companies are making millions out of what has happened to us,” said Mary Hay. “I got a quote of £660 [$980] for renewing my house insurance just before the flood. This was £250 more than last year, then the flood happened and they told me the quote was changed to £950 [$1,415].” The insurance for a similar sized house in Manchester last year was £175 ($260).
Workers were told disastrous floods were a thing of the past after the government spent $56 million for new protections since the last major floods in 2005.
“I thought it could never happen again, they claimed it was a 1 in 100 chance, and now we’ve got this,” said hospital worker Tricia Irving. “It’s always housing for less well off people that gets hit.”
The Environment Agency opposes large-scale dredging to allow rising water to escape, saying it is costly, ineffective and damages wildlife habitats. River Eamont, a tributary of the Eden, one of Carlisle’s three rivers, has not been disturbed because the government says protecting otters and crayfish is a higher priority.
“I’m all for looking after wildlife,” Irving said, “but start with us first. They must dredge the rivers.”
A flood defense scheme for the Cumbrian town of Kendal has been repeatedly postponed. Last week it was submerged in up to five feet of water, leaving 1,397 people homeless.
More than half of Cumbria’s population lives in rural areas, and many farmers lost livestock, feed, fences and use of waterlogged fields.
Local people took matters into their own hands in rural Glenridding, turning out twice during the week of the floods with their diggers to help deepen the bed of the river that flows through the village. Residents formed a human chain to pull people to safety as torrents of water poured through the streets.
Related articles:
‘Climate’ summit: Imperialist rivalry and attacks on semicolonial peoples
China: Construction boom causes deadly mudslide
Defense of nature falls to working class
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