Summary

  • Big clean-up begins after flash flood hits Coverack

  • --- Flash flooding saw torrents of water sweep through the Cornish village on Tuesday afternoon

  • --- Coastguards rescued a number of people trapped in their homes

  • --- Residents reported hailstones the size of 50 pence pieces smashing windows

  • --- About 50 properties have been affected by flooding

  • --- Woman, 87, climbed out of bathroom window

  • --- Sewers compromised but drinking water is safe, says Environment Agency

  • --- Council reserves 'will be used' to repair damage

  • --- All roads in and out of the village remain closed

  • Updates on Wednesday 19 July 2017

Live Reporting

  1. Coverack flash flood: Council leader visits village

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  2. Coverack flash flood: 'We were totally unprepared'

    Flash flooding has seen torrents of water sweep through the Cornish village of Coverack.

    Bill Magill, who owns the White Hart Hotel, said the water was "over a foot high" in some areas.

    "It was nothing like I've ever known in this area, we were totally unprepared for it and it was totally unexpected," he said.

    "[It was] racing down a little country lane, pouring over the banks like these waterfalls."

    The flood swept through the village on Tuesday afternoon.

    FloodDick Powell

  3. 'Hailstones as big as 50p pieces'

    Karla Wainwright, who works at the Paris Hotel, said: "This afternoon [Tuesday] we could tell it was going to get about stormy, then about 3pm it hit.

    "There were hailstones as big as 50p pieces and a lot of small panes in our windows are broken."

    Ms Wainwright said the storm continued for an hour and a half.

    "Once it cleared off then we could see a massive flood of water coming down the main way into Coverack."

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    Timeline of events on Tuesday:

    15:00 BST - Heavy rain moves in to the village of Coverack

    15:40 BST - First calls to emergency services reporting flooding

    16:30 BST - Hail storm hits the village

    17:20 BST - Major incident declared and HM Coastguard helicopter scrambled

  4. Coverack flash flood: Huge clean-up under way

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    A huge clean-up operation is under way in the tiny Cornish village of Coverack after the community was battered by a flash flood.

    Torrential rain and hail hit the village on Tuesday afternoon with devastating consequences. There are reports of serious damage to the roads and to local properties.

    Coverack@ADAMVTPOWERS

    Bill Frisken, a local councillor in Coverack, said he could not access the centre of the village because the main road was underwater.

    Describing the speed with which the flood hit, he said: "It was almost instantaneous."

    "The village has effectively been cut in half, you can't cross the river," he added.

  5. Flood devastation but no casualties

    Miles Davis
    BBC News Online

    Flash floods devastated the village of Coverack on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall but so far there have been no casualties reported.

    Cornwall Council said two people were rescued by the HM Coastguard helicopter and three people were rescued by fire crews assisted by the coastguard.

    HM Coastguard helicopterMullion Fire and Rescue Service

  6. Cornwall storm: Roads blocked, windows smashed

    Sophie Malcolm
    BBC News Online

    A flash flood hit Cornish village of Coverack

  7. Fire crews remain in Coverack

    Twitter

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  8. Cornwall Council leader expected at flash flood village

    An emergency centre was opened for people evacuated from their homes on Tuesday and a local hotel has accommodated people overnight.

    The leader of Cornwall Council, Adam Paynter, is expected in Coverack later this morning along with the assistant chief fire office.

    A meeting between the authorities will take place at the Paris Hotel at 11.30.

    CoverackGLORIA KNIGHT

  9. Coastguard winch people to safety

    Sophie Malcolm
    BBC News Online

    The Maritime and Coastguard Agency issued this view from the helicopter of a winchman being lowered to rescue a person from a house in Coverack during the flash flooding which hit the village on Tuesday.

    The coastguard helicopter crew winch people to safety in Coverack, Cornwall

  10. Damaged properties and roads to be inspected by structural engineers

    Press Association

    Thunderstorms caused flash flooding in a coastal village in Cornwall on Tuesday, with some 50 properties affected and several people having to be rescued from their homes.

    A council spokesman confirmed some properties in Coverack and one of the roads suffered structural damage and are due to be inspected by structural engineers.

    Two people were rescued by a coastguard helicopter, and one witness described the flooding as "quite horrendous".

  11. Coverack wakes up to flood-hit landscape

    Miles Davis
    BBC News Online

    The village of Coverack in Cornwall is taking stock this morning of the impact of flash floods which caused chaos on Tuesday afternoon.

    Drone footage shows the torrents of water pouring through the village.

    Drone footage of the flash floods which hit the village of Coverack in Cornwall

  12. News, sport, weather and travel for Wednesday

    Good morning from BBC Local Live. We'll be bringing you the news, sport, travel and weather for Devon and Cornwall today.

    We'll also bring you the latest from Coverack after flash floods swept through the Cornish village yesterday.

    If you want to get in touch, please email us.