On many occasions in the past, my father tells me of the "1953 flood". Margate and the surrounding area was cut off for a couple of days.
At this moment a similar threat hangs over Eastern England. Nothing like the severity of over 50 years ago but according to the BBC, lives "could be at risk"
More here on 1953 Flood
and if you live in the N2 or N3 postal areas of London you're likely to be swept away by a torrent of water.
Wrath of the Gods? Global Warming? warning to David Cameron? Whatever it is it ain't cricket. (I believe they've taken an early lunch at Lords*)
* try explaining that to an American
Did you get caught in those showers in London earlier today?
May, not April showers!
I'm still suffering from some awful lurgi that had laid me low over the past few days. What doesn't help one's recovery is the low temperature.
But there's no point complaining, after all, it's early February in the northern hemisphere.
This just in from REDDIT...Now this is a story about the cold, unlike the nonsense outlined here
Winter chill kills 80 in northern India
RANCHI, India (Reuters) - Cold weather across northern and eastern India has killed at least 80 people in the past week, forcing authorities to close schools and colleges and deliver firewood to the homeless, officials said on Friday.
Bangladesh said on Thursday at least 56 people, mostly beggars and homeless, had died during the same cold snap this week.
In India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh 34 people have died as night time temperatures plummeted to close to freezing, making life a misery for tens of thousands of people who live on the streets with few ways of keeping warm.
On Friday morning, the minimum temperature in the capital, New Delhi, fell to 4 degrees Celsius, the lowest of the winter.
In Bihar, thousands of homeless people crowded around bonfires as temperatures hovered around 6 degrees Celsius. At least 35 people have died in the impoverished state in the last seven days.
"For the next one week, all educational institutions will remain closed as the cold has become unbearable for many," Madan Mohan Jha, Bihar's human resource development secretary said by phone from Patna, the state capital.
In neighbouring Jharkhand, 11 people have died and officials are distributing firewood for the homeless.
"After dusk there is a mad scramble to get some firewood as only a bonfire can keep us alive at night," Abbas Ansari, a rickshaw puller said in Ranchi.
(Additional reporting by Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow)
Well, blow me down with a feather, it's winter. On page 21 of this evenings Evening Standard, the
headline reads "Don't get comfortable, there's snow on the way" - Really. Well, fancy that.
Mark Prigg, the ES's Science Correspondent(because an ordinary journo couldn't have written this) writes that a Met. Office spokesman said today: "there could be, by the end of February, sharp cold snaps lasting a few days and we think there is a high chance of snow". No shit Sherlock. This usually happens this time of year.
Well known weather geek, Piers Corbyn (brother of the famous Commie Jeremy Corbyn) says "it could be bad for Eastern England" (watch out Ellee). Simon Keeling of the Weather Consultancy, which produces long-range forecasts said "our predictions point to a very average year". ( I mean, why doesn't someone say that Monday will be before Tuesday) - the article goes on to say that GP's are concerned about the cold because it affects people badly. Well short of pissing off to a warmer climate for the entire population what do you expect fellas? Then we're told about El Nino, global warming and how former BBC weatherman Bill Giles says that he's seen certain vegetables in his garden he doesn't normally see until March.
This article is typical of the patronizing fuckwittage spewed out by the ES most days. No wonder they're losing out to those "freebies".
