A DAY of almost continuous rain on Monday was succeeded yesterday by dry and sunny weather over the greater part of the country. This enabled some of the damage done to be repaired, and progress was made with the opening up of communication with the Norfolk towns which were the chief sufferers by the excessive downfall. In Norwich, however the situation has grown worse. Most parts of the city are under water, and last night matters were complicated by the failure of the electric light supply.
Unwonted scenes were witnessed in the flooded districts yesterday. The Great North Road was impassable at some points and motor-cars had to make long detours; near Huntingdon the County Council organised a service of carts which took pedestrians over the flooded roads; and the Great Eastern Railway arranged to convey passengers to Norwich by char-à-bancs from Wymondham.
The weather forecast for to-day is “generally fair,” but our weather correspondent thinks it would be rash to prophesy more than a temporary improvement.
Telegraphing early this morning, a Norwich correspondent reports that the position in the city has become steadily worse. The rapid rise of the river compelled large numbers of the inhabitants to leave their homes and be rowed in boats to higher quarters. A number of school buildings were thrown open for their reception. Here members of the board of guardians and the police ministered to their comfort.
The tramway service was suspended early in the evening because of the impossibility of running the cars along the flooded streets. By 9 o’clock the electric light supply ceased and the greater part of the city was plunged in darkness. The river is still rising. There seems no prospect of improvement, and the position occasions the gravest anxiety.
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By the courtesy of the Editor of the Daily Mail we publish the following telegram despatched at 1 o’clock this morning by their Norwich correspondent :-
In the poorer quarters of Norwich the floods, which at 11 pm were 6ft deep, had risen to 13ft by 1 o’clock.
Thousands of people were in the streets, driven from their houses by the advancing waters. It is estimated that 7,000 were rendered homeless. Though in the midst of a great waste of waters, Norwich is faced with a water famine. The pumping-station at the waterworks is flooded and the machinery is useless.
In the dire necessity of rescuing human beings, animals have had to be left to their fate. Horses and dogs have been seen floating dead in the streets. The work of rescue is still being pressed forward with desperate haste.