Flood Page #7

I think my plan will work.

Blind faith in computer models

is what got us into this mess.

- Ignoring computer models...

- Please. What are the timing issues?

Low tide at the barrier is 10.45 am.

For this to work we have to open

the sluice gates at precisely 9.15.

The Barrier gates will have to be lowered

before the sluice gate waters reach them.

The Barrier is not currently operational.

Yeah, but I've spoken with

Samantha Morrison.

There is a way of lowering the Barrier

but we don't have much time.

If the Barrier gates can't be lowered then

the plan with the sluice gates won't work.

We'd be gambling with

millions of lives.

So you're asking me to

open the sluice gates,

unleashing millions of

gallons of water,

before we know for sure

whether we can lower the Barrier.

How sure are you?

I'm sending my son and daughter-in-law

to the Barrier.

Does that answer your question?

I need to brief the DPM before

we do this. Richardson?

Ma'am.

- (Samantha) How's it going?

- All set.

Anyway, I kind of, um...

don't want us to be apart any more.

Let's go.

Dad! They found us!

Help!

(All) Help us! Help! Help!

Help us!

Makeshift messages on rooftops

like this one here at Canary Wharf

- are starting to appear all over London

- Ma'am?

This outlines manpower on the sluice gates.

- 200000 people were still in the flood zone

when the Thames reached its banks.

Just when we thought that

no one could have survived.

thousands of people are holding

up signs telling us they're alive.

Tens of thousands of people still don't

know where they'll be sleeping tonight

But at least for now London

can breathe a sigh of relief,

as the monster surge that overwhelmed

the city literally begins to drain away

Help! Help!

Sir? I need the go-ahead.

We're running out of time.

I've already spoken to

the Prime Minister about it.

But I need to know, is

this our only option?

I'm afraid so, or we do nothing. I'm

sure you'll agree that is not an option.

There's no guarantees that this

will work but this is our only hope.

- But the key thing is we...

- Sir, we need a decision.

With the high risk of failure, sir,

we cannot take this action.

Sir?

We're out of options.

We need to do this.

(Leonard) Minister, I'll go

to the barrier myself.

Go ahead.

Wait your turn.

(Man) Please.

Come on! Come on!

All right! Keep moving!

Move it. Move it.

Move that way!

- Ma'am!

- What's the matter?

The girls have been picked up by a mobile

search and rescue unit. They're safe.

Oh...

Thank you.

- I haven't lost my kids.

- They're all that matter.

It's good to see you, Dad.

Let's go, let's go!

Come on, get some effort in

there. Put your back into it!

Give him a hand on there, come on.

(Nash) Commander Bryant,

if we don't open

the Barrier in time,

our ability to manage this

disaster will be nonexistent.

- In 2 hours this control centre will

be taken out. - I understand, ma'am.

- Give me Professor Morrison.

- Certainly, ma'am. Professor?

- Commissioner? - Professor

The surge is moving further inland.

- Are you sure?

- It shows no sign of stopping

- Has Fuller downloaded the

latest projections? - Yes.

- We're counting on you, Leonard.

- Understood.

What we're trying to do

is very dangerous.

I'll take the risk, Dad.

No one knows the Barrier

like me. It's my job.

I won't let anyone else

take my place.

Rob.

- I know I haven't been much

of a father. - Dad, don't.

- I wasn't much of a husband

either. - Dad, don't.

It's obvious now why the

work meant so much.

I'm sorry I doubted you.

This is where we are in the

back-up control room.

This is the room we need to get to.

It houses the manual override which

will allow us to drain the latch room.

The problem is that this

room will be flooded

and there's a good chance that all

these access routes are under water.

What do you suggest?

The sluice gates upriver have

been opened. We're on a clock here.

We need to drain the latch room to operate

the hydraulics that will open the Barrier.

Now, even if we do make it

as far as the override room,

the Barrier's anti-terrorist motors will

activate and there will be no way back out.

The drainage system is only operable

when the room is sealed from the inside.

Whoever goes into this room

is gonna run out of air

before the door can be re-opened

from the other side.

This is a death sentence.

This is madness. We need a

contingency if they don't succeed.

What do you suggest?

There is only one option, ma'am.

The Barrier gates must be destroyed.

- We don't have the authority.

- I'll get it.

Sam. I can't let you do this.

Whatever happens on this Barrier

is my responsibility.

- I have to.

- Sam, listen...

This is no longer a civilian responsibility.

As senior officer here it's my duty.

I need you both here

to operate the latch release.

I've made my decision.

Commander.

You're a brave man but we

both know it can't be you.

- You don't know this Barrier

well enough. - (Sighs)

It makes sense.

- Sam.

- No.

- Listen.

- No, I won't. Why?

You know why. He doesn't know

enough to go down there.

Rob, I'm asking you...

It's our only choice.

(Man) That means you

maintain your formation...

Prime Minister, all our aircraft

are fully armed and fuelled.

I must reiterate, time is of the essence.

I don't need to be reminded of that.

What is the status of the

rescue operation at the Barrier?

It's difficult to tell. We're having

communication problems

with the team on the ground.

- That's all we need.

I don't want our handling of this crisis

to come under any more question.

We are monitoring it minute by minute.

Major General, your aircraft are to remain

on the ground at the present time.

Deputy Prime Minister,

get me a reason to delay this.

No, don't.

(Klaxon sounds)

Dad!

(Klaxon sounds)

Dad!

- (Knocking)

- Open the door! Open the door!

Dad!

Commissioner, the Prime Minister for you.

- Prime Minister.

- Commissioner, I need an update.

Surge waters are continuing

to work their way up stream.

Their momentum has slowed

but we have major damage

and further potential loss of life...

at Chelsea, Clapham, Hammersmith

and Putney.

And the sluice gate waters

to combat this surge?

Current estimates suggest

the confluence between

the sluice gate waters

and the surge in less

than 30 minutes.

It's not enough Commissioner

You're giving me very few options.

Ma'am. Commander Bryant's

on the line from the Barrier.

- Good. - Signal's

been patched here.

- Commissioner Nash, are

you receiving me? - Yes. Yes.

We're under pressure from

the Prime Minister and the military.

Unless you can give me

something concrete,

we have less than ten minutes before

aircraft are ordered to take off

and destroy the Barrier.

Ma'am, Professor Morrison is currently

trying to engage the manual override system.

He may need more

than ten minutes.

- I need an exact time.

- I can't be more precise.

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