Cornwall counts the cost of clearing up

19 Aug 04
North Cornwall District Council faces a repairs bill totalling millions of pounds following the flash floods that ripped through the village of Boscastle this week.

20 August 2004

North Cornwall District Council faces a repairs bill totalling millions of pounds following the flash floods that ripped through the village of Boscastle this week.

Total repairs and insurance costs for the area could be 'in the tens of millions of pounds', insurance experts have warned, but the council will not be expected to foot the entire bill.

It does, however, face huge clean-up costs for local amenities after 75mm of rain fell in just two hours on August 16, bursting the banks of two local rivers and damaging homes and businesses.

A spokesman for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister confirmed that the council 'could make a claim for short-term financial assistance under the government's Bellwin Scheme covering emergencies'.

Deputy PM John Prescott has already extended the offer of financial help to local council leaders following a visit to the area. Additional, longer-term assistance could be provided by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

PFaug2004

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