One of the main purposes of sandbagging properties is not to keep the water out, which is impossible, but to stop solid matter getting in, a fairly repulsive thought, but necessary.

A man was interviewed on local TV (westcountry) a couple of nights ago, his three properties had flooded for the second time this year. He has a £5000 excess on his insurance so will have to pay out £15,000 of his own money before the insurance coughs up a penny. He gestured to what looked like a great lake behind him "I've got this", he said, "and it's coming in, what can I do, what can I do?" The poor man was choking back tears as he spoke, your heart had to go out to him, and all the others suffering in the same way. Thankfully there's been little or no reported loss of life.