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Whitby and district lashed by floods as Esk bursts banks
THE Whitby area was bracing itself for yet more flooding yesterday after heavy rainfall saw the River Esk burst its banks.
As the Whitby Gazette went to press yesterday, the Environment Agency had issued a flood warning for Sandsend seafront on the A174 coast road, stating properties next to the road were at risk.
And it also issued a further flood warning for the North Sea coastline including Staithes and Whitby. Since Friday, when the rain first began to fall, Whitby Police had received six reports of incidents relating to flooding.
Just after midday on Friday, the River Esk burst its banks, causing flooding at Ruswarp and Danby. And just a couple of hours later, police received reports of a landslip on the Esk Valley railway line just below the Ruswarp viaduct.
They contacted Network Rail which issued a temporary speed restriction on the track due to running water but police say this has now been resolved.
Further afield at Pickering, 53-year-old Vanessa Robson died after her LandRover Freelander was swept away by floodwater as she tried to cross a beck near Muffles Bridge in Hartoft on Friday.
Whitby's fire engine and swift water rescue team were called to assist in the search for Ms Robson, which also involved an RAF helicopter and police.
The vehicle, which it is believed was negotiating a ford when it became stuck, had become submerged in the beck and was spotted at about 12.20pm.
Ms Robson's body was found four hours later.
The vehicle was recovered on Saturday.
Just after 5.30pm on Friday, the Environment Agency issued a flood warning for people's homes and businesses along the River Esk at Ruswarp and Lealholm.
But police and Whitby Fire Brigade did not receive any reports of damage and by 11.14pm the Environment Agency had lifted the warning for both locations.
Just before 7.50pm on Friday, police had received reports of a landslip on the A174 coast road at Sandsend and that the road was partially blocked.
One area which was particularly affected by the heavy rain was The Carrs when, on Saturday morning, a retaining wall collapsed into the road between Ruswarp and Briggswath.
North Yorkshire County Council highways staff were called and the road was immediately closed to traffic and remained closed yesterday.
A spokeswoman for highways said structural engineers have assessed the wall and part of it will have to be taken down and rebuilt.
"The road will be closed for a few days," she told the Whitby Gazette yesterday morning.
"We might try to get temporary traffic lights installed so we can partially re-open the road as soon as possible."
The final incident relating to the rainfall in the Whitby area came in on Sunday afternoon in Robin Hood's Bay.
Police received reports of a landslip just north of the village in the Rocket Post Field although they say they did not take any further action.
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Weather for Whitby
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 1 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North west
