Bolton Mountain Rescue team were mobilised to help the emergency relief effort after a major incident was called on New Year’s Day.
Bolton was among the worst affected areas in Greater Manchester for a time, with flooding experienced in the Westhoughton and Turton areas.
Cllr Nick Peel has praised the efforts of the emergency services.
Although Bolton was cleared of being an area of ‘serious concern’ yesterday evening, local emergency services, including the mountain rescue team, continued their efforts today.
(Image: Peter Byrne/ PA Wire)Now Bolton is bracing itself for plummeting temperatures with a yellow Met Office weather warning for ice and snow forecast for the weekend.
Working with the Environment Agency and Highways England, officers and specialist resources, including Bolton’s mountain rescue team, were deployed to assist with transport and travel and where needed help with the response by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service as vehicles were stranded and people needed evacuating from their homes.
(Image: Martini Archive) A spokesperson for Bolton Mountain Rescue said: “Team members from Bolton Mountain Rescue were requested to assist with a major incident on Wednesday (January 1st) following a number of preparatory calls held on New Year’s Eve and in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
“A type-B (powered boat) water rescue team was initially mobilised to support a response to flooding at a large block of apartments in Stockport, attended by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Greater Manchester Police, Northwest Ambulance Service NHS Trust, Kinder Mountain Rescue Team and Glossop Mountain Rescue Team.
“We attended with team members qualified in water rescue along with rescue equipment – namely rafts and powered boats. Floodwater at this location had largely subsidised by our own arrival and we were quickly stood down from that scene.
“We were then asked to assist Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) at Palatine Road in Didsbury, to support the evacuation of a flooded hotel, as well as residents from nearby apartment blocks and houses cut off by floodwater.
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“All had no access to electricity or central heating, due to an associated power cut in the area.
“A huge multi-agency operation began in earnest here about 4pm involving Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Services (GMFRS), Greater Manchester Police , North West Ambulance and Service NHS Trust HART, ourselves, Kinder Mountain Rescue Team and Cheshire Search and Rescue supported by Transport for Greater Manchester, the local council, and Didsbury Mosque.
“We believe a total of 469 people were rescued from flooded properties and offered alternative accommodation.”
(Image: Bolton Mountain Rescue Team)Bolton Council Leader Cllr Nick Peel said: “I would like to thank everyone involved in Bolton’s flood response after an emergency incident was declared at 4am on New Year’s Day.
“Our Highways Team worked overnight to pump water away from roads and houses in the affected area, while our Civil Contingencies team worked closely with the emergency services.
“A rest centre was set up and we quickly identified vulnerable adults and children in the area who may have been at risk.
“Fortunately, no properties were flooded, and our emergency response was stood down as river levels returned to normal.
“The council has robust plans in place to deal with incidents like flooding and we will continue to monitor the situation in the coming days.
“Having your home of business flooded is incredibly distressing, particularly at this time of year, and our thoughts are with those across Greater Manchester and beyond who have been affected.”
Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham has called for “accountability” after admitting “we were all taken by surprise by some degree”.
Speaking on BBC Radio Manchester on Thursday (January 2nd) he said: “I think we do have to have a look back at the warnings.
“We were all taken by surprise by some degree. There was no named storm. There was not a particular warning the authorities gave.
“I am not saying that to point the finger… but it does seem we get hit by very local torrential rain at potential locations. That might have made it a unique event.”
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