A FLOODGATE was unable to contain ‘freak waves’ which battered the Portland coast, as three coastguard officers were injured and caused damage to the seafront.
As previously reported, emergency services were called to the Chiswell area of Portland on Saturday, January 30 due to crashing waves which caused water and debris to run into the streets.
Brandy Row was hit hard by waves and a car was washed backwards into a wall, while Portland Beach Road was closed for several hours.
HM Coastguard say three members of the coastguard were injured due to being hit by a ‘large freak wave’. One seriously injured crew member, named locally as Dean Frampton, was taken to hospital by ambulance for treatment.
Photos taken after the area was hit by the treacherous weather show the trail of destruction left behind, with memorial benches broken, debris on Brandy Row and pebbles scattered over the seafront.
Environment Agency said it did all it could to warn people and protect the area from widespread flooding. The organisation issued a flood alert earlier in the day following a warning of a high tide at Chesil Beach on Saturday evening.
The high tide was ‘higher than forecast’ and the ‘flood alert’ was upgraded to a ‘flood warning’ and the floodgate on the seafront was subsequently closed.
Yet the floodgate was unable to contain the waves and spray, causing water to stream down Brandy Row and a car was washed backwards into a wall. Despite the alarming scenes, Environment Agency said this is ‘not unusual’.
Environment Agency confirmed its flood siren was sounded at 9pm during the ‘freak’ weather – after residents questioned why the siren wasn’t sounded earlier.
A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: “The Environment Agency issued a Flood Alert at lunchtime ahead of Saturday night’s high tide warning of large waves and spray along the coast including at Chesil Beach.
“As the tide came in, our automated monitors alerted us that the tide was higher than forecast and we upgraded the Flood Alert to a Flood Warning.
“This also triggered the closing of the flood gate by the local flood Bailiff and our teams attending the site.
“Our teams have confirmed that waves and spray was breaking over the sea wall even with the gates shut and this is not unusual.
“We sounded the flood siren at about 9pm and we anticipate waves and spray will have been breaking over the wall before that.
“We have not been made aware of any flooding of properties from this high tide.”
Dorset Council workers were at the scene to assess the damage and used a JCB to collect and transport pebbles back onto the beach.
Robert Hughes, a councillor for Portland Town Council, said Dorset Council workers have done a ‘great job’ in repairing and cleaning the damaged seafront.
He said: “The council had about eight guys there cleaning the area following Saturday’s weather.
“People were asking if it was worth it, but it’s just keeping on top of it and the right thing to do and to ensure the place is safe and clean.
“Cleaners have been out clearing the gullies in Chiswell and also ensuring drains are clear.”
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