I cannot imagine how awful it must be for those caught up in the floods, houses up to the sill levels with dirty water, electrics and sewerage all off, belongings sodden and destroyed. And, after this, likely no possibility of afffordable insurance. Didn't Cameron promise some sort of subsidy for those who were unable to afford house insurance? I wonder if that is still available. It really isn't a matter of drains, Victorian or otherwise; no area can absorb the amount of rain which fell in those areas in a couple of days, but undoubtedly, keeping drainage ditches clear and functioning can help.