RECALLING ‘THUNDER THURSDAY’ FIVE YEARS AGO TODAY

THUNDER Thursday was one of a number of amazing weather events to hit the region in recent years.

But the North East hasn’t exactly been blessed.

Following Thunder Thursday came the Quayside flood caused by a huge tidal surge in 2013 and then in 2015 came flooding caused by the aftermath of Storm Desmond, though luckily the city centre escaped the brunt this time.

We look at how the region would cope if these weather events were to happen again.

If we had another Thunder Thursday what would happen?

We’d all get very, very wet. As for the region’s infrastructure, there have been improvements on flood defences.

The Quayside flood in 2013 was a nightmare for businesses. Could that happen again?

The Environment Agency says probably not, thanks to a new flood defence system.

You say probably not?

Well, as confident as you can be when you have to deal with what insurers call ‘an act of God’.

So what about this flood defence?

It’s a temporary barrier which can be installed within hours on Newcastle Quayside when needed.

How does it work?

In a test run last December, around 20 Environment Agency staff working with Newcastle City Council personnel put up about 700m of temporary barriers stretching from the Copthorne Hotel almost up to the Pitcher & Piano.

How much does it cost?

It was part of a £12.5m investment by the Environment Agency which bought new equipment including 40 km of the temporary flood barriers.