Indymedia York

By Lendal BridgeFlooding has hit central York today, with the river peaking at over 4 meters above normal, and less than two meters below the terrible flooding of 2000. All Floodgates are now shut, and people are advised to keep off the footpaths, floodplains and banks of the river. The environment agency has placed many parts of York under "Flood Warning"s.

St George's Field Car Park is completely submerged, and Skeldergate is now closed. Part of the A19 through Fulford has also been closed (Fordlands Road to Landing Lane), with diversions in place. Details of closures are being posted on the City Council Website. The Council's 'Flood Group' is meeting regularly to determine what further action to take (see Meeting 1, Meeting 2).

Flooded FootpathSo is this a sign of Climate Change hitting home? Well, certainly these floods do seem to be coming at us more and more frequently, with this about the fourth round of floods this winter, the river rarely returning to 'normal'. Certainly it fits some of the predicted patterns for changes in weather, and will be compounded if Arctic Ice-sheets melt further. This may be freak weather, but we're hardly helping the situation by turning the Earth into a Greenhouse!

Links: Rising Tide, Climate IndyMedia, UK IndyMedia Climate Change section, BBC News Report, Evening Press Report