220:
311:. The programme alleged that "the infamous Lynmouth flood disaster came only days after RAF rain-making experiments over southern England", and that secret experiments were causing heavy rainfall. According to the programme, "classified documents on the trials that Project Cumulus contributed to the conditions that caused this flood have gone missing". A few days before the disaster a seeding experiment was carried out over southern England. Alan Yates, an aeronautical engineer and glider pilot who was working with the operation, sprayed salt in the air and was "elated" to learn of a heavy rainfall in
169:
156:
From seven o'clock last night the waters rose rapidly and at nine o'clock it was just like an avalanche coming through our hotel, bringing down boulders from the hills and breaking down walls, doors and windows. Within half an hour the guests had evacuated the ground floor. In another ten minutes the
325:
has said the experiments could not have caused the accident: "It is preposterous to blame the
Lynmouth flood on such experiments". Eden also said "The storm which caused the 1952 disaster was not confined to the Lynmouth district." while in reality "The East and West Lyn rivers, which drop rapidly
250:
Similar floods had been recorded at
Lynmouth in 1607 and 1796. After the 1952 disaster, Lynmouth village was rebuilt, including diverting the river around the village. The small group of houses on the bank of the East Lyn River called Middleham between Lynmouth and
146:; in particular, in the upper West Lyn valley, fallen trees and other debris formed a dam, which in due course gave way, sending a huge wave of water and debris down the river. A guest at the Lyndale Hotel described the night to the
176:
Overnight, more than 100 buildings were destroyed or seriously damaged along with 28 of the 31 bridges, and 38 cars were washed out to sea. In total, 34 people died, with a further 420 made homeless. The seawall and
674:
114:
On 15 and 16 August 1952, a storm of tropical intensity broke over south-west
England, depositing 229 millimetres (9.0 in) of rain within 24 hours on the already saturated soil of
243:
which caused exceptionally heavy rainfall, the effect of which was intensified because the rain fell on already waterlogged land; the effect was further exacerbated over Exmoor by an
1030:
808:
803:
783:
667:
1772:
342:
165:
to gain land for business premises; this culvert soon choked with flood debris, and the river flowed through the town. Much of the debris was boulders and trees.
773:
1762:
660:
1035:
1506:
1501:
768:
763:
106:. A storm with heavy rainfall, combined with already saturated soil and flood debris, led to the flooding of the village and a total loss of 34 lives.
788:
1025:
793:
1737:
207:
Over 50,000 tons of rock were moved by water during the disaster. Large rocks and boulders washed downstream can still be found today, alongside
1189:
1141:
864:
735:
1541:
1536:
1531:
1526:
1521:
1516:
1511:
1020:
1008:
818:
798:
543:
778:
1174:
1169:
1083:
859:
854:
700:
453:
849:
1045:
993:
181:
survived the main flood, but were seriously undermined. The tower collapsed into the river the next day, causing a temporary flood.
219:
318:"Survivors tell how the air smelled of sulphur on the afternoon of the floods, and the rain fell so hard it hurt people's faces."
1782:
1752:
712:
346:
172:
The Flood
Memorial Hall has been built on the site of the old lifeboat station, one of the buildings destroyed in the flood.
1673:
1663:
1658:
1640:
1164:
813:
707:
695:
1757:
1600:
1590:
1585:
1575:
1228:
1075:
823:
1635:
1630:
1625:
1620:
1605:
1595:
1580:
1354:
1050:
953:
930:
753:
1742:
1108:
1065:
1060:
1055:
1040:
998:
247:
effect. The lack of satellite data in 1952 meant the weather could not be forecast as reliably as it can be today.
618:
1767:
1668:
1418:
1400:
1310:
1282:
910:
839:
1777:
1615:
1610:
1258:
1179:
1113:
1098:
1003:
263:
178:
383:
1320:
1159:
1136:
1013:
844:
1787:
1301:
1223:
258:
On 16 August 2004 - exactly 52 years to the day of the
Lynmouth Flood - a similar incident happened in
1701:
1277:
1267:
1103:
1088:
935:
920:
422:
1678:
1296:
1291:
1272:
1243:
1233:
1218:
1213:
1184:
988:
968:
915:
900:
758:
1570:
1238:
1199:
925:
586:
168:
1364:
1248:
1093:
983:
978:
869:
539:
533:
457:
368:
289:
228:
1685:
1409:
1329:
963:
958:
559:
430:
252:
17:
1747:
730:
308:
297:
283:
1481:
426:
1339:
1315:
945:
684:
652:
232:
157:
second floor was covered, and then we made for the top floor where we spent the night.
1731:
1382:
1373:
1344:
1253:
1118:
293:
240:
236:
148:
1463:
1436:
1359:
1349:
1334:
1128:
973:
878:
271:
127:
510:
479:
98:
occurred on the night of 15–16 August 1952, principally affecting the village of
1706:
1472:
1454:
1427:
892:
614:
322:
304:
103:
435:
410:
1445:
244:
208:
197:
185:
139:
131:
123:
81:
1391:
1205:
745:
722:
267:
193:
1650:
1554:
259:
189:
143:
99:
85:
77:
255:
was destroyed and never rebuilt. Today, there stands a memorial garden.
1718:
1559:
1151:
312:
307:
documentary, which suggested that the events of 1952 were connected to
201:
162:
115:
218:
167:
135:
119:
369:"Filleigh Village Hall - Filleigh Memorial Stones-Lynmouth Flood"
227:
The root cause of the flood was heavy rainfall associated with a
211:
deposits in nearby locations such as the valleys of
Watersmeet.
656:
326:
down from Exmoor, were swollen even before the fatal storm."
619:""The day they made it rain" Lynmouth Flood man-made?"
27:
1952 natural disaster in the county of Devon, England
1694:
1649:
1550:
1494:
1198:
1150:
1127:
1074:
944:
891:
832:
744:
721:
73:
65:
57:
52:
44:
37:
585:Vidal, John; Weinstein, Helen (30 August 2001).
505:
503:
501:
499:
497:
292:has spread that the flood was caused by secret
274:setting of these two villages is very similar.
154:
668:
8:
142:of the moor, converging upon the village of
32:
456:. Visit Lynton and Lynmouth. Archived from
675:
661:
653:
532:Hilary Bradt; Janice Booth (11 May 2010).
31:
434:
404:
402:
400:
235:some days earlier. As the low passed the
192:also flooded, costing the lives of three
1773:August 1952 events in the United Kingdom
161:The River Lyn through the town had been
134:effect worsened the storm. Debris-laden
609:
607:
334:
382:Council, Devon County (9 July 2014).
7:
1763:1952 disasters in the United Kingdom
587:"RAF rainmakers 'caused 1952 flood'"
538:. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 249.
411:"The 1952 Lynmouth floods revisited"
649:. J. Atkins and J. Letheren, Exton.
564:Greatest Conspiracy Theories (4/10)
560:"Weather Weapons to Attack Mankind"
511:"Rain-making link to killer floods"
88:, Middleham (never rebuilt), Devon
25:
303:The theory was fuelled by a 2001
270:, but without loss of life. The
566:. British Pathé. 21 August 1952
384:"Lynmouth area - Explore Devon"
296:experiments carried out by the
204:alongside the river overnight.
1738:Conspiracy theories by subject
713:United Kingdom weather records
480:"Where is the next Boscastle?"
48:Night of 15 and 16 August 1952
1:
708:Drought in the United Kingdom
696:Climate of the United Kingdom
300:(RAF) between 1949 and 1952.
1119:North Sea and Irish Sea 2013
18:Lynton and Lynmouth disaster
647:The Lynmouth flood disaster
521:– via news.bbc.co.uk.
266:caused extensive damage to
138:cascaded down the northern
33:The Lynmouth flood disaster
1804:
1137:Widecombe-in-the-Moor 1638
964:Holmfirth 1738, 1777, 1944
645:Delderfield, E. R. (1953)
482:. BBC News. 7 October 2004
436:10.1256/004316502760195894
281:
223:Middleham memorial gardens
1715:
736:Buachaille Etive Mòr 2009
691:
231:that had formed over the
1031:Somerset Levels 2013–14
969:North East England 1771
442:(subscription required)
409:Mcginnigle, JB (2002).
122:. It is thought that a
1783:1950s floods in Europe
1753:1952 natural disasters
1009:November–December 2009
683:Weather events in the
224:
184:At the same time, the
173:
159:
39:Meteorological history
535:Slow Devon and Exmoor
343:"Lynmouth Flood 1952"
239:, it manifested as a
222:
171:
1051:Yorkshire Dales 2019
954:Bristol Channel 1607
931:Yorkshire Dales 2019
1758:Lynton and Lynmouth
824:February–March 2018
454:"Middleham Gardens"
427:2002Wthr...57..235M
34:
1165:Great Malvern 1761
1084:South England 1287
989:South England 1968
225:
174:
1743:Floods in England
1725:
1724:
1674:April–August 2022
1664:February–May 2019
1495:Windstorm seasons
545:978-1-84162-322-1
290:conspiracy theory
278:Conspiracy theory
229:low-pressure area
92:
91:
16:(Redirected from
1795:
1707:Great Stink 1858
1446:September 2020 (
1321:September 2011 (
1259:September 1961 (
677:
670:
663:
654:
634:
633:
631:
629:
611:
602:
601:
599:
597:
582:
576:
575:
573:
571:
556:
550:
549:
529:
523:
522:
520:
518:
513:. 30 August 2001
507:
492:
491:
489:
487:
476:
470:
469:
467:
465:
450:
444:
443:
440:
438:
406:
395:
394:
392:
390:
379:
373:
372:
365:
359:
358:
356:
354:
349:on 25 March 2014
345:. Archived from
339:
40:
35:
21:
1803:
1802:
1798:
1797:
1796:
1794:
1793:
1792:
1768:1952 in England
1728:
1727:
1726:
1721:
1711:
1702:Great Smog 1952
1690:
1679:Wennington 2022
1645:
1564:
1546:
1490:
1482:November 2023 (
1464:February 2022 (
1455:December 2021 (
1437:February 2020 (
1428:February 2020 (
1392:December 2015 (
1383:December 2015 (
1374:November 2015 (
1203:
1194:
1180:Birmingham 2005
1146:
1123:
1070:
1014:Workington 2009
974:Strathspey 1829
940:
911:Chew Stoke 1968
887:
828:
740:
717:
687:
681:
642:
640:Further reading
637:
627:
625:
613:
612:
605:
595:
593:
584:
583:
579:
569:
567:
558:
557:
553:
546:
531:
530:
526:
516:
514:
509:
508:
495:
485:
483:
478:
477:
473:
463:
461:
452:
451:
447:
441:
408:
407:
398:
388:
386:
381:
380:
376:
367:
366:
362:
352:
350:
341:
340:
336:
332:
315:shortly after.
309:Project Cumulus
298:Royal Air Force
286:
284:Project Cumulus
280:
217:
112:
53:Overall effects
38:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1801:
1799:
1791:
1790:
1785:
1780:
1778:1950s in Devon
1775:
1770:
1765:
1760:
1755:
1750:
1745:
1740:
1730:
1729:
1723:
1722:
1716:
1713:
1712:
1710:
1709:
1704:
1698:
1696:
1692:
1691:
1689:
1688:
1683:
1682:
1681:
1671:
1666:
1661:
1655:
1653:
1647:
1646:
1644:
1643:
1638:
1633:
1628:
1623:
1618:
1613:
1608:
1603:
1598:
1593:
1588:
1583:
1578:
1573:
1567:
1565:
1563:
1562:
1557:
1551:
1548:
1547:
1545:
1544:
1539:
1534:
1529:
1524:
1519:
1514:
1509:
1504:
1498:
1496:
1492:
1491:
1489:
1488:
1479:
1473:October 2023 (
1470:
1461:
1452:
1443:
1434:
1425:
1419:October 2019 (
1416:
1410:January 2018 (
1407:
1401:October 2017 (
1398:
1389:
1380:
1371:
1365:October 2014 (
1362:
1357:
1352:
1350:Christmas 2013
1347:
1342:
1337:
1332:
1327:
1318:
1313:
1308:
1302:October 1996 (
1299:
1294:
1289:
1280:
1275:
1270:
1265:
1256:
1251:
1246:
1241:
1236:
1231:
1226:
1221:
1216:
1210:
1208:
1196:
1195:
1193:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1156:
1154:
1148:
1147:
1145:
1144:
1139:
1133:
1131:
1125:
1124:
1122:
1121:
1116:
1114:North Sea 2007
1111:
1109:North Sea 1978
1106:
1104:North Sea 1976
1101:
1099:North Sea 1953
1096:
1091:
1089:North Sea 1287
1086:
1080:
1078:
1072:
1071:
1069:
1068:
1063:
1058:
1053:
1048:
1046:Winter 2019–20
1043:
1038:
1036:Winter 2015–16
1033:
1028:
1026:Winter 2013–14
1023:
1018:
1017:
1016:
1006:
1001:
996:
991:
986:
981:
976:
971:
966:
961:
956:
950:
948:
942:
941:
939:
938:
933:
928:
923:
921:Boscastle 2004
918:
913:
908:
903:
897:
895:
889:
888:
886:
885:
876:
867:
862:
857:
852:
847:
842:
836:
834:
830:
829:
827:
826:
821:
816:
811:
806:
801:
796:
791:
786:
781:
776:
771:
766:
761:
756:
750:
748:
742:
741:
739:
738:
733:
727:
725:
719:
718:
716:
715:
710:
705:
704:
703:
701:climate change
692:
689:
688:
685:United Kingdom
682:
680:
679:
672:
665:
657:
651:
650:
641:
638:
636:
635:
603:
577:
551:
544:
524:
493:
471:
460:on 24 May 2016
445:
421:(7): 235–242.
396:
374:
360:
333:
331:
328:
321:Meteorologist
279:
276:
233:Atlantic Ocean
216:
213:
149:Sunday Express
111:
108:
96:Lynmouth Flood
90:
89:
75:
74:Areas affected
71:
70:
67:
63:
62:
59:
55:
54:
50:
49:
46:
42:
41:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1800:
1789:
1786:
1784:
1781:
1779:
1776:
1774:
1771:
1769:
1766:
1764:
1761:
1759:
1756:
1754:
1751:
1749:
1746:
1744:
1741:
1739:
1736:
1735:
1733:
1720:
1714:
1708:
1705:
1703:
1700:
1699:
1697:
1693:
1687:
1684:
1680:
1677:
1676:
1675:
1672:
1670:
1667:
1665:
1662:
1660:
1657:
1656:
1654:
1652:
1648:
1642:
1639:
1637:
1634:
1632:
1629:
1627:
1624:
1622:
1619:
1617:
1614:
1612:
1609:
1607:
1604:
1602:
1599:
1597:
1594:
1592:
1589:
1587:
1584:
1582:
1579:
1577:
1574:
1572:
1569:
1568:
1566:
1561:
1558:
1556:
1553:
1552:
1549:
1543:
1540:
1538:
1535:
1533:
1530:
1528:
1525:
1523:
1520:
1518:
1515:
1513:
1510:
1508:
1505:
1503:
1500:
1499:
1497:
1493:
1487:
1485:
1480:
1478:
1476:
1471:
1469:
1467:
1462:
1460:
1458:
1453:
1451:
1449:
1444:
1442:
1440:
1435:
1433:
1431:
1426:
1424:
1422:
1417:
1415:
1413:
1408:
1406:
1404:
1399:
1397:
1395:
1390:
1388:
1386:
1381:
1379:
1377:
1372:
1370:
1368:
1363:
1361:
1360:February 2014
1358:
1356:
1353:
1351:
1348:
1346:
1345:December 2013
1343:
1341:
1338:
1336:
1333:
1331:
1330:December 2011
1328:
1326:
1324:
1319:
1317:
1314:
1312:
1311:December 1998
1309:
1307:
1305:
1300:
1298:
1295:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1286:
1283:August 1986 (
1281:
1279:
1276:
1274:
1271:
1269:
1268:February 1962
1266:
1264:
1262:
1257:
1255:
1254:February 1903
1252:
1250:
1247:
1245:
1244:December 1879
1242:
1240:
1239:February 1871
1237:
1235:
1232:
1230:
1227:
1225:
1222:
1220:
1219:November 1824
1217:
1215:
1214:December 1703
1212:
1211:
1209:
1207:
1201:
1197:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1175:November 1981
1173:
1171:
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1157:
1155:
1153:
1149:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1135:
1134:
1132:
1130:
1129:Thunderstorms
1126:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1081:
1079:
1077:
1073:
1067:
1064:
1062:
1059:
1057:
1054:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1015:
1012:
1011:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1002:
1000:
997:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
982:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
955:
952:
951:
949:
947:
943:
937:
934:
932:
929:
927:
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
912:
909:
907:
906:Lynmouth 1952
904:
902:
899:
898:
896:
894:
890:
884:
882:
877:
875:
873:
868:
866:
863:
861:
860:February 2009
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
837:
835:
831:
825:
822:
820:
817:
815:
814:February 2012
812:
810:
807:
805:
802:
800:
797:
795:
792:
790:
787:
785:
782:
780:
777:
775:
772:
770:
767:
765:
762:
760:
757:
755:
752:
751:
749:
747:
743:
737:
734:
732:
729:
728:
726:
724:
720:
714:
711:
709:
706:
702:
699:
698:
697:
694:
693:
690:
686:
678:
673:
671:
666:
664:
659:
658:
655:
648:
644:
643:
639:
624:
623:WeatherOnline
620:
616:
610:
608:
604:
592:
588:
581:
578:
565:
561:
555:
552:
547:
541:
537:
536:
528:
525:
512:
506:
504:
502:
500:
498:
494:
481:
475:
472:
459:
455:
449:
446:
437:
432:
428:
424:
420:
416:
412:
405:
403:
401:
397:
385:
378:
375:
370:
364:
361:
348:
344:
338:
335:
329:
327:
324:
319:
316:
314:
310:
306:
301:
299:
295:
294:cloud seeding
291:
285:
277:
275:
273:
269:
265:
261:
256:
254:
248:
246:
242:
241:weather front
238:
237:British Isles
234:
230:
221:
214:
212:
210:
209:boulder field
205:
203:
200:who had been
199:
195:
191:
187:
182:
180:
179:Rhenish Tower
170:
166:
164:
158:
153:
151:
150:
145:
141:
137:
133:
129:
126:scooped up a
125:
121:
117:
109:
107:
105:
101:
97:
87:
83:
79:
76:
72:
68:
64:
60:
56:
51:
47:
43:
36:
30:
19:
1788:1950s floods
1686:Cannich 2023
1669:Wareham 2020
1483:
1474:
1465:
1456:
1447:
1438:
1429:
1420:
1411:
1402:
1393:
1384:
1375:
1366:
1355:January 2014
1340:October 2013
1335:January 2012
1322:
1316:January 2007
1303:
1297:January 1990
1292:October 1987
1284:
1278:January 1976
1273:January 1968
1260:
1249:October 1881
1234:October 1859
1224:January 1839
1190:October 2022
1170:October 1913
1076:Storm surges
926:Morpeth 2008
916:Glasgow 2002
905:
893:Flash floods
880:
879:March 2023 (
871:
870:March 2018 (
855:January 1995
840:January 1881
799:October 2008
646:
626:. Retrieved
622:
615:Eden, Philip
594:. Retrieved
591:The Guardian
590:
580:
568:. Retrieved
563:
554:
534:
527:
515:. Retrieved
484:. Retrieved
474:
462:. Retrieved
458:the original
448:
418:
414:
387:. Retrieved
377:
363:
351:. Retrieved
347:the original
337:
320:
317:
302:
287:
272:hydrological
264:flash floods
257:
249:
226:
206:
183:
175:
160:
155:
147:
128:thunderstorm
113:
95:
93:
29:
1659:Summer 2018
1229:August 1848
1185:London 2006
1160:London 1091
1094:Thames 1928
1056:Summer 2022
1004:August 2008
999:Summer 2007
994:Autumn 2000
984:Thames 1947
979:Thames 1928
936:London 2021
833:Snow events
819:Spring 2013
353:19 November
323:Philip Eden
305:BBC Radio 4
136:floodwaters
104:North Devon
69:Substantial
1732:Categories
1206:hurricanes
1200:Windstorms
959:Trent 1683
901:Louth 1920
865:March 2013
850:April 1981
845:March 1891
746:Cold snaps
731:Lewes 1836
723:Avalanches
628:22 January
596:22 January
330:References
282:See also:
253:Watersmeet
245:orographic
198:Manchester
186:River Bray
140:escarpment
132:orographic
130:, and the
124:cold front
110:Background
82:Simonsbath
58:Fatalities
1717:Disputed
1651:Wildfires
1555:Heatwaves
1152:Tornadoes
1142:July 1968
1041:June 2016
570:14 August
517:30 August
268:Boscastle
163:culverted
1560:Droughts
260:Cornwall
190:Filleigh
144:Lynmouth
100:Lynmouth
86:Filleigh
78:Lynmouth
45:Duration
1719:tsunami
1542:2023–24
1537:2022–23
1532:2021–22
1527:2020–21
1522:2019–20
1517:2018–19
1512:2017–18
1507:2016–17
1502:2015–16
1421:Lorenzo
1412:Eleanor
1403:Ophelia
1385:Desmond
1376:Abigail
1367:Gonzalo
1285:Charley
1204:former
1021:2012–13
809:2010–11
804:2009–10
794:1990–91
784:1985–86
779:1981–82
774:1962–63
769:1946–47
764:1894–95
754:1683–84
486:14 June
423:Bibcode
415:Weather
313:Staines
262:, when
202:camping
1748:Exmoor
1484:Ciarán
1466:Eunice
1439:Dennis
1261:Debbie
946:Floods
881:Larisa
542:
464:7 July
389:1 July
194:Scouts
116:Exmoor
66:Damage
1695:Other
1475:Babet
1457:Barra
1430:Ciara
1323:Katia
215:Cause
196:from
120:Devon
102:, in
1641:2022
1636:2021
1631:2019
1626:2018
1621:2013
1616:2006
1611:2003
1606:1995
1601:1990
1596:1976
1591:1955
1586:1911
1581:1906
1576:1808
1571:1757
1448:Alex
1304:Lili
1066:2024
1061:2023
872:Emma
789:1987
759:1709
630:2018
598:2018
572:2016
540:ISBN
519:2001
488:2008
466:2016
391:2024
355:2012
94:The
1394:Eva
1202:and
431:doi
188:at
1734::
621:.
617:.
606:^
589:.
562:.
496:^
429:.
419:57
417:.
413:.
399:^
288:A
152::
118:,
84:,
80:,
61:34
1486:)
1477:)
1468:)
1459:)
1450:)
1441:)
1432:)
1423:)
1414:)
1405:)
1396:)
1387:)
1378:)
1369:)
1325:)
1306:)
1287:)
1263:)
883:)
874:)
676:e
669:t
662:v
632:.
600:.
574:.
548:.
490:.
468:.
439:.
433::
425::
393:.
371:.
357:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
