Methods included firing particles of salt, dry ice, or silver iodide, into clouds, either from an aeroplane or from burners on the ground. A flood relief fund set up for the victims of the disaster had raised more than £300,000 by the end of August. The army was drafted in to help with the clear-up.Speculation over the cause of the flooding has raged ever since the tragedy happened.During August 1952, North Devon experienced 250 times the normal rainfall for the month, and on the day of the disaster, some 90m tonnes of water swept down the narrow valley into Lynmouth.Among the theories is that the rain was caused by experiments to artificially create rain.In 2001, a BBC investigation discovered that classified documents on the secret experiments have gone missing.Survivors told how the air smelled of sulphur on the afternoon of the floods, and that the rain was so hard, it hurt people's faces.The BBC unearthed fresh evidence about the alleged experiment, including RAF logbooks and personal testimony.The experiment was called 'Operation Cumulus,' but some people taking part dubbed it 'Operation Witch Doctor. Read More » 19 February 2020 History and Heritage A fascinating history dating back hundreds of years. However, silver residue has been discovered in the catchment waters of the river Lyn.Declassified minutes from an air ministry meeting, held in the war office on November 3, 1953, show why the military were interested in increasing rain and snow by artificial means.
The 1952 Lynmouth Flood Disaster Lynmouth suffered one of the worst floods in English history. On the anniversary of the Lynmouth tragedy that claimed 34 lives, we look at compelling evidence that scientists were carrying out cloud seeding experimentsGet the pick of the week's stories and fascinating Devon history features direct to your inbox every Saturday morning in our exclusive Weekend Report newsletterOperation Cumulus was the name of the experiment being carried out by the RAF and an international team of scientists in August 1952.On this day, August 15 1952, the cloud seeding experiments came to a sudden end, official documents have confirmed.It was also the same day that Devon experienced the biggest, most tragic, flooding event the region has seen in more than 300 years.Thirty four people died in the flash storms that have become known at the Lymouth Flood Disaster as a torrent of 90m tons of water and thousands of tons of rock poured off saturated Exmoor and into the village destroying homes, bridges, shops and hotels..In August 1952 eyewitnesses described the 'purple black' clouds that accumulated over Exmoor - some even said the threatening skies had a weird greenish tinge. They refused to leave. The eventual number of people who died came to 34. Survivors of the Lynmouth flood called for - but never got - a full investigation into the causes of the disaster. RAF navigator Group Captain John Hart remembers the early experiments, The meteorological office had previously denied there were any rainmaking experiments conducted before 1955, but a BBC Radio 4 history investigation, broadcast in August 2001, unearthed documents at the public record office showing that they were going on from 1949 to 1955. He was later told that there was a devastating downpour in Staines, 50 miles away.However, the Ministry of Defence says it knows nothing of the so-called 'cloud-seeding' experiments during early August 1952.More than 50 years on from the disaster, the people of Lynmouth are still waiting for the speculation to be put to rest one way or another.The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websitesLocal people share their experiences of life in Devon. It all went in the flood. Thirty-four people lost their lives in the Lynmouth flood disaster in August 1952. Read More » 10 December 2019 « Previous Page 1 Page 2 Next » ABOUT.
But the new documents suggest that Operation Cumulus was going on between August 4 and August 15 1952 - it was stopped abruptly on the day of the Lynmouth disaster.Operation Cumulus was put on hold indefinitely after the tragedy.