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Floods.
The effects of the great flood which occurred in January,
1928, are set out in some detail in the following appendix I.
Appendix I.
Provisional Report on the Creat Flood in West Ham,
January, 1928.
10th January, 1928.
At this comparatively early stage, it is not possible to give
complete details of all that concerns Public Health in relation to
the flood. I can, however, report upon the main features.
As you are aware, the areas in West Ham chiefly affected
have been Silvertown, part of Tidal Basin, Old Canning Town,
and a part of Stratford district—in all, well over 1,000 houses
have been involved. In no case did the flood rise as far as the
first floor, but in all these areas most of the houses contained
sleeping rooms on the ground floor, consequently the effects of
the flood have been aggravated. In quite a number of cases the
rooms have been rendered absolutely uninhabitable and their
contents worthless. In a large number of cases the rooms have
been flooded to a depth of several feet, beds, bedding and other
articles having been completely saturated. Roughly 120 people
have been sleeping at the Public Hall, Canning Town, nightly,
since Saturday. These consist mainly of women, babies and
young children from homes which have been literally washed out.
Arrangements were made for a supply of blankets, for soap,
towels, utensils, etc., for their use. Dried Milk has been available
for them, and other light food has been procured from the
school feeding centres and other sources. Precautions have
been taken that no infectious person sleeps there. At least one
particularly distressed family has been temporarily housed at the
Place of Detention—others may have to enter later, but several
families refused to leave their abode for anywhere else. I have
concentrated all my staff of Inspectors and Health Visitors upon
the affected areas, and well over 1,000 houses have been inspected.
The Infectious Cases, mostly measles, are being provided
for at the Fever Hospital (i.e., as far as possible, without
serious risk to other patients).
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