Residents who were forced out of homes ‘left to muddle through’
‘Accountability lies with both Thames Water and the council’
Friday, 6th March — By Daisy Clague
Firefighters during flooding in Canonbury last summer
AFTER a burst water main caused catastrophic flooding in Caledonian Road, residents displaced by a similar emergency in Canonbury last summer have reminded the council that they too must take accountability for failing to support flood victims.
Some 40 people were forced from their homes last August after a burst pipe saw Canonbury streets submerged in 2ft of water.
Sasha Donaldson, who has lived in Cedar Court, Essex Road, since 1997, was moved to a hotel on the night of the flood and stayed there for five weeks.
Ms Donaldson is one of several people still living in temporary accommodation some six months later.
“Even though it was a Thames Water issue, we are your tenants, we pay your rent, we should be getting support from the council as well and we have had none,” she told councillors at the Town Hall’s Thames Water scrutiny meeting last week.
Ms Donaldson said displaced residents were not given blankets or water by council staff on the night of the flood, nor given any support later on when they had to put a price on every personal belonging that was destroyed.
“Accountability lies with both Thames Water and the council,” she told the Tribune. “The impact for everyone has been quite stressful and emotionally demanding. We were just abandoned and left to muddle our way through.”
Ms Donaldson added: “The council should have been much more involved in supporting us. Everyone was traumatised by the experience and some people definitely had extra support needs. Even now, we have to move home and transport all our stuff back – we might need support with that, but we’re left to just pack it all up.”
She told Thames Water executives and councillors about her experience at the Town Hall, where the water company’s Martin Padley confirmed that it is common for people to have to wait a year before returning to their flooded homes.
She hopes to finally move back to Cedar Court in the next couple of weeks.
Cllr Una O’Halloran, leader of Islington Council, said: “We know how difficult things are for residents impacted by floods in the borough, and sadly we have seen this yet again with the floods in Caledonian Road.
“While it’s Thames Water’s responsibility to ensure residents received the support they need, we worked hard to reach out to all affected by the floods in Canonbury last year.
“We supported residents through visits and telephone calls, providing advice, assistance and support with loss-adjustment forms and more.”
