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More floods as Glenridding river overtops

More rain is forecast for the week.

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The Environment Agency has admitted that flood defences had failed to cope with unprecedented rainfall.

A flood appeal by the Cumbria Community Foundation has already raised in excess of £337,000.

He added Environment Secretary Liz Truss will announce later today that the Bellwin scheme will “kick in”.

The effects of the storm were also felt further south, with one death reported in London when a 90-year-old man was blown into the path of a bus.

It comes after it was announced that about 5,000 homes and businesses hit by floods in Cumbria and Lancashire would be given temporary relief from their council tax and business rates.

Homes and businesses have been devastated by record rainfall, and the extreme weather has claimed three lives.

“Weak pledges of climate action from this government and others in Paris mean the world is on course to exceed two degrees of global warming, leading to catastrophic climate change”.

Disruption caused by the storm looks set to continue, with many roads closed and the West Coast Mainline rail route to Scotland suspended with service unlikely to be restored before Wednesday at the earliest.

Cumbria county’s flood defenses were upgraded in 2010 during a multimillion-pound project to ensure protection against a once-in-100-years flood.

While local leaders demanded an investigation, Floods Minister Rory Stewart defended the government, arguing that defences had slowed down the water to allow more time for evacuations.

Although there are no longer any Met Office weather warnings for the UK, RMS warned that there are still 56 severe flood warnings active in England and Wales.

As many as 6,425 homes were flooded in Cumbria after Desmond struck.

Police, mountain rescue staff and the military are evacuating vulnerable people and supplying extra food and water to those who require it. Several reception centers have opened in Cumbria to offer advise and shelter.

Meanwhile, some 1,047 properties remained without power in Cumbria.

The north west of England-in particular, Cumbria, Lancashire and Northumbria-have suffered devastating flooding in the wake of Storm Desmond, which has driven some from their homes and disrupted services. “In the last parliament, the government slashed spending on flood defences before the 2014 winter floods”, said Corbyn.

A total of 131 bridges remain closed having been identified as being of strategic importance and requiring immediate inspection.

She said: “On a Sunday there would normally be one news editor, one photographer and one reporter, but yesterday we had two news editors and five reporters plus a couple of others who filed from their villages”. Councils can now apply to have 100% of damage costs reimbursed.

Military personnel are also providing support to communities in Patterdale and Glenridding which have been cut off.

He said: “It’s heart-breaking to see what this has done to people’s homes, especially just before Christmas…”

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It said: ” Cumbria Police would like to urge the people of Glenridding to stay inside their properties to keep themselves and their families safe.

Waves hitting the coast during Storm Desmond