More than 40 severe flood warnings – signalling a danger to life – remain in place across the North West and yellow rain warnings have been issued for later in the week.
Advertisement
In the Republic of Ireland, over 2,000 homes have been left without electricity due to the flooding.
Electricity North West said 61,000 properties lost power across Heysham, Morecambe, Carnforth and Lancaster.
With more than a month’s rain falling over 24 hours in some areas, swathes of northern England and Scotland are under water, prompting the government to call on the army to help evacuate those trapped in their homes.
“Cumbria Tourism has a great deal of experience in dealing with such crises and played a key role in coordinating business recovery after the 2005, 2009 Cumbria floods and the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001”.
“Some of the more significant calls included crews spending 13 hours from 11.30am on Saturday pumping out part of Lisnaskea in Co Fermanagh to protect 12 homes which were at risk of flooding”.
Reception centers have been opened to shelter people who have left their homes because of flooding, Cumbria police said.
There are now 47 severe flood warnings in place for Kendal, Keswick, Cockermouth, Carlisle and Appleby.
He also noted Chancellor George Osborne had protected a £2.3 billion investment in flood defences over five to six years. Around 100mm of rain is expected Wednesday and Thursday across the flood-impacted region, with amounts up to 200 mm possible in mountainous areas.
More than 4,000 properties are estimated to be flooded in Cumbria, according to authorities in the county.
In Staveley, where the bridge over Main Street leading to the village was closed to traffic, a woman said she had never seen rain of the magnitude that fell on Saturday.
John Leyland, deputy director of operations at the Environment Agency, has rejected criticism over the failed flood defences in Cumbria.
“Nature is nature. From time to time nature will throw things at us that overwhelm the system and I think that’s what happened here”, said Sir James. “The Government must continue to drive forward the delivery of the 1,400 flood alleviation projects already pledged”.
Staff from Warrington, Widnes and Congleton fire stations are among the team that is now in Cumbria, along with personnel from the Service’s International Search and Rescue team (ISAR).
“However, at this time we have had no reports of looting”.
Advertisement
Work is continuing today to fix flood damage and restore power to people’s properties, after record rainfall battered northern England and Scotland.
