There are about 40 flood warnings and alerts in Scotland, and some main roads are closed due to flooding and landslides.
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While the worst of Storm Desmond has passed, the Met is forecasting more heavy rain on Monday in Scotland, northwestern England and Wales along with the possibility of additional flooding.
Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter that the army had been mobilised to help those affected.
More than 13 inches of rain are reported to have fallen in one day in some areas as the fourth major storm to hit the country in the past month struck.
Power at about 55,000 homes could be off for “days” following flooding at an electricity substation in Lancaster.
Cumbria police have highlighted the operation as one of many impressive efforts displayed by emergency services, which saw a weekend of dramatic rescues in an attempt to bring people to safety as flood waters became dangerously high.
Firefighters from Manchester have been drafted in to rescue dozens of “scared and desperate” people – including a mum and baby – trapped in floods in Cumbria.
Downing Street said on the back of the meeting, which heard from Met Office experts, the Government would review its assumptions for flood defences.
An appeal by the Cumbria Community Foundation to raise £1 million to support vulnerable individuals and families who have been badly affected by the floods is under way and has already raised well over £100,000.
Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue say their specialist “Water Incident Team” is on stand-by to help if they are needed in Cumbria…
“There was erection of expensive and ineffective glass panels on the wall next to the River Greta in Keswick, but absolutely no dredging of the gravel that has raised the river bed considerably over the last decade or so”, said Philip Walling. A full assessment of the damage will take place as soon as the water recedes and everything done to reopen the railway as quickly as possible, Network Rail said.
“Sitting in the house, I saw the water come up through the tiles”.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Nature is nature”. That doesn’t mean that we don’t need to review what happened.
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“There remains a risk of further flooding in some areas and the Environment Agency continues to warn communities in northern England to be prepared today and tomorrow”, environment secretary Elizabeth Truss said.
