The Secluded Place, capital of Copan, has been cordoned off after water from what used to be a dry river-bed continues to flow into it, coinciding with torrential rain.
Last month, Westcroft Canal – an old tributary of the River Wandle in Carshalton which is usually dry – started to flow again after heavy rain, flowing down into the Secluded Place. Smoker’s Wall, the brick structure leading down into the capital, became a waterfall, but now the upper wall has broken under the pressure of the water, with the water no longer flowing over the main structure but strongly gushing down past one side, revealing that a large crack has appeared in Smoker’s Wall.
Sutton Parks Service, which has continued to maintain The Grove Park after it became independent from the United Kingdom in July 2010 as Orly (of which Copan is a constituent country), has set up barriers around the Secluded Place warning people of the steep slippery slopes and the fast-flowing water.
It was reported earlier this month that some Orlians had attempted to dam the pipe which carries water from the United Kingdom into Copan so as to stop the flooding, but to no avail.
The water flowing through the Secluded Place has nowhere to go once it reaches the end, spilling out onto the Plain of Copan (the large field which makes up the majority of the country) and resulting in most of the kingdom being either flooded or extremely muddy. The Playing Field – a large area comprising roughly two-fifths of Copan – is completely cut off, as it is surrounded on most sides by fences and its only entrances are blocked by floodwater.
As well as the flooding and the damage to Smoker’s Wall, the Secluded Place has also had a tree blown over by strong winds last night. Westcroft Canal is expected to keep flowing for several more weeks at least, with more damage likely to take place over that time. An album of photographs of the flooding can be seen here.
