Pumps from other parts of England have been transported up to Cumbria over the last two days and are now being moved to the areas where flooding is likely to be expected.
Advertisement
Tweed Valley and Moffat Mountain Rescue Teams and Border Search and Rescue Unit have been helping get residents in Moffat and Hawick and in the Lake District, the village of Braithwaite near Keswick has been cut off after a bridge collapsed.
Some 55,000 properties in Lancaster, Morecambe, Carnforth and the surrounding area are without power following a breach of flood defences at a the main substation serving the area.
Red Cross volunteers were called out to set up and run a rest centre for people evacuated from their flood-threatened homes in Hawick.
“Despite there being no casualties reported as a direct result of the floods, the Trust declared a major incident just after 1700”.
Storm Desmond has wreaked havoc across the country this weekend, with gale force winds and torrential rain.
He was speaking after almost 200mm of rain fell in Britain’s wettest area Shap, in Cumbria: “I’m still getting messages now saying ‘can we help?’, ‘can we come down to the church a help rescue people and provide food and things?'”
The forecasters have given red warnings – their highest for severe weather – for areas of Scotland and the north west of England.
Trains are now not running between England and Scotland while many roads are closed, causing severe travel difficulties for many.
And a landslide from a hill above Altura, in the Highlands, dumped at least 200 tonnes of debris on the A82 between Spean Bridge and Invergarry. “Watercourses may become unsafe, deep and fast-flowing, while some transport disruption seems likely”.
Severe flood warnings, which warn of a danger to life, have been issued by the Environment Agency for Appleby and Keswick in Cumbria and and Corbridge in Northumberland. The ground is already saturated and with river levels already high and expected to rise further, there is a risk of flooding to people and properties, as well as disruption to roads and travel.
A jack-knifed FedEx truck on the M8 at Bathgate, West Lothian, on December 5.
Simon Williams, RAC spokesman, said anyone driving in Scotland today may be faced with “extremely challenging conditions”.
While rainfall has mostly subsided, Cumbria Police is reminding people people that River Kent levels are still high and major roads, including the A590 at Brettargh, remain closed. While local authorities and emergency services are satisfied they have all the necessary resources at this present time and, while they are responding admirably, I have reassured them they only need to ask should they need further assistance.
The west coast of Ireland has taken a battering, too, with flooding in Cork and Kerry and a landslide closing part of the coast road at Mullinasloe, County Donegal.
“We can expect an entirely different kind of day [this] morning”, said forecaster John Eagleton.
Clare County Council says floodwaters are beginning to recede in many parts of County Clare but that a flood risk remains, particularly in River Fergus catchment area.
Advertisement
Cumbria Health on Call has issued an urgent plea for any doctors to offer support by calling 03000 247 247.
