FLOOD!
PART OF OXFORD found itself underwater last week, as the Isis reached its highest level since 1947.
According to the Environment Agency, approximately 67 mm of rain fell across the Thames Valley between December 21 and December 31 - equivalent to the average rainfall for the entire month of December. This led to many homes, including those of students, being flooded.
The areas worst affected were the Botley and Abingdon Roads, which were closed from Sunday January 5 until the 7th and 8th respectively.
Despite the fact that this is the worst flooding that the Abingdon Road has seen for the last five decades it could have been even worse if the major maintenance work, which had been undertaken following the flooding of 160 houses in 2000, had not been completed. Further from these measures local authorities distributed 30 tonnes of sand in 20,000 sandbags to help householders protect their homes.
9th Jan 2003