Floods in Tolkien Territory

[Andorinha]

Wow, just looking at photos of the severe flooding taking place in the south and west midlands of England, including Gloucstershire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire. Apparently the current situation is very grim, the worst flooding since 1947. My most sincere hopes for the best outcomes possible go to the people living in these affected areas. I was an open-mouthed, deeply appreciative tourist there in 1995 -- wonderful people, beautiful scenery, even if I never got to see a single hobbit.

www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23405353-details/Residents+'panic+buying'+bottled+water+as+flood+threatens+supplies/article.do

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6910086.stm

[Stormrider]

Those are some very deep flood areas. The quaint castle type home with at least three feet of water around it up to its foundation. I'm sure the water seeped into the first floor. Flooding can be a very nasty element of weather to deal with.

It sounds like they are having a time of it trying to get the waters out of the places they aren't supposed to be.

Is the Bodelian Libray in that area? It is located in the Oxford University isn't it? That is where the other half of the Tolkien manuscripts and drawings are archived!

[Andorinha]

Yes, the Bodelian Libray is in the town of Oxford at the University, and I see that this noon the BBC is putting out renewed warnings for Oxford town and Shire. As I recall, the river is a bit away from the Bodelian, but I'm not sure how high the University is above the flood plain...

[Stormrider]

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070723/ap_on_re_eu/britain_flooding

In the above article it doesn't say anything specifically about Oxford University or the Library but it does mention this:

"On the outskirts of Oxford, 60 miles west of London, about 50 elderly people were evacuated to a stadium from a retirement community overlooking the swollen River Ock."