Strong easterly winds, heavy rain and high tides left a trail of destruction across Swanage as beach huts were smashed and roads had to be closed as rocks and sand littered the carriageway.
Once it was clear that there was a very real risk of flooding, Swanage Coastguard was called in to help Dorset Council deploy emergency sandbags to protect the lower high street.
“The risk to life was high”
Swanage Coastguard reported:
“With very high seas, the risk to life was high, so our colleagues from St Albans Coastguard were drafted in to provide further safety cover along the seafront. Working with the police, various roads were closed for safety and to allow the contractors to work safely.”
The bad weather is expected to continue over the weekend with an amber warning issued for heavy rain, from midday Saturday 3rd October to 6 am on Sunday 4th October 2020.
