This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35019021
The article has changed 25 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 17 | Version 18 |
|---|---|
| Storm Desmond: Homes flooded and thousands without power | Storm Desmond: Homes flooded and thousands without power |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Tens of thousands of homes are without power after Storm Desmond caused severe flooding, and travel disruption, across northern England and parts of Scotland. | Tens of thousands of homes are without power after Storm Desmond caused severe flooding, and travel disruption, across northern England and parts of Scotland. |
| Power at about 55,000 homes could be off for "days" following flooding at an electricity substation in Lancaster. | Power at about 55,000 homes could be off for "days" following flooding at an electricity substation in Lancaster. |
| The Army has been evacuating homes in Cumbria and the Scottish Borders, where hundreds of homes are under water and nearly 50 severe flood warnings remain. | The Army has been evacuating homes in Cumbria and the Scottish Borders, where hundreds of homes are under water and nearly 50 severe flood warnings remain. |
| The floods minister said the storm had "broken all the UK rainfall records". | The floods minister said the storm had "broken all the UK rainfall records". |
| "It's a completely unprecedented amount of water," Rory Stewart told BBC News. | "It's a completely unprecedented amount of water," Rory Stewart told BBC News. |
| Provisional figures suggest more than 340mm of rain fell in 24 hours in the Lake District. The current record is 316.4mm of rain over the same time period at Seathwaite, Cumbria, in 2009. | |
| Follow live updates for Storm Desmond | Follow live updates for Storm Desmond |
| Follow live updates just for Cumbria and Lancashire | Follow live updates just for Cumbria and Lancashire |
| In Pictures: Storm Desmond | In Pictures: Storm Desmond |
| In Cumbria, where a major incident was declared, emergency crews used boats to carry people to safety and eight rescue centres are open for those forced to leave their homes. | In Cumbria, where a major incident was declared, emergency crews used boats to carry people to safety and eight rescue centres are open for those forced to leave their homes. |
| Rescue teams from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution evacuated homes in Carlisle, helping around 200 people. | Rescue teams from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution evacuated homes in Carlisle, helping around 200 people. |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| BBC Weather's John Hammond, in Keswick, Cumbria, said it was now dry but there were concerns about further rainfall. | |
| The Met Office has issued fresh yellow warnings for rain next week for many badly affected areas. | |
| "There is more heavy rain in the forecast for flood-affected areas in the next few days and river levels downstream could be adversely affected. We'll particularly be watching the Rivers Ouse and Severn closely," said Hammond. | "There is more heavy rain in the forecast for flood-affected areas in the next few days and river levels downstream could be adversely affected. We'll particularly be watching the Rivers Ouse and Severn closely," said Hammond. |
| At the scene | At the scene |
| BBC north of England correspondent Danny Savage | BBC north of England correspondent Danny Savage |
| Coastguards and lifeboats in the centre of Carlisle. This city has seen it all before but it doesn't make it any easier. | Coastguards and lifeboats in the centre of Carlisle. This city has seen it all before but it doesn't make it any easier. |
| I left Warwick Road about 01:00 GMT this morning with water rising rapidly. By 09:00 it had spread much further towards the city - this appears to be worse than 2005. | I left Warwick Road about 01:00 GMT this morning with water rising rapidly. By 09:00 it had spread much further towards the city - this appears to be worse than 2005. |
| The Army is here to help after the police went wading door to door in the early hours making sure residents were at least safe. Later, rescue teams with boats arrived to move those people who did want to leave. | The Army is here to help after the police went wading door to door in the early hours making sure residents were at least safe. Later, rescue teams with boats arrived to move those people who did want to leave. |
| They had watched the modern flood defences anxiously for hours. At 22:00 last night they were telling us the water was up to the top of the flood barriers and at about midnight it came spilling over. | They had watched the modern flood defences anxiously for hours. At 22:00 last night they were telling us the water was up to the top of the flood barriers and at about midnight it came spilling over. |
| Thousands of properties are without electricity - a hospital in Lancaster is running on generator power and there are worries about a substation in Carlisle. Residents are being told to keep phones fully charged now - if that substation goes, sixty thousand properties could be left without power. | Thousands of properties are without electricity - a hospital in Lancaster is running on generator power and there are worries about a substation in Carlisle. Residents are being told to keep phones fully charged now - if that substation goes, sixty thousand properties could be left without power. |
| In 2010, a £38m flood defence scheme for Carlisle - which has seen some of the worst flooding - was completed in a bid to protect about 3,000 homes and businesses around the city. | In 2010, a £38m flood defence scheme for Carlisle - which has seen some of the worst flooding - was completed in a bid to protect about 3,000 homes and businesses around the city. |
| Floods minister Mr Stewart said defences - which have been criticised - had given authorities more time to evacuate people and kept flood levels down. | Floods minister Mr Stewart said defences - which have been criticised - had given authorities more time to evacuate people and kept flood levels down. |
| 'One in 100-year event' | 'One in 100-year event' |
| The defences "held strong" but the huge levels of rain were too much for them, he said. | |
| However, Mayor of Keswick Paul Titley said the defences had been "completely overwhelmed". | |
| "The flood defences were designed for a one in 100-year event and since it's six years since we had the last one, we were sort of surprised that we got one so soon," he added. | "The flood defences were designed for a one in 100-year event and since it's six years since we had the last one, we were sort of surprised that we got one so soon," he added. |
| Residents Roger and Julie Scoon of Keswick told BBC News they were due to sell their house when the flooding hit. | |
| They put their furniture in a room that was unaffected during the floods in 2009, but this time around the water came in through the windows. | |
| "We did what we could, we got flood gates, we put tiled floors down so we can mop out, but we never dreamt it would come up here," Mr Scoon added. | |
| Storm Desmond is the fourth storm to be given a name by the public in a project by the Met Office and Met Eireann in Ireland to help raise awareness of severe weather. | Storm Desmond is the fourth storm to be given a name by the public in a project by the Met Office and Met Eireann in Ireland to help raise awareness of severe weather. |
| Live flood warnings from the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. | Live flood warnings from the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. |
| Note: the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency display their flood alert data differently. While the Environment Agency highlights individual rivers only, in Scotland the entire region is coloured to indicate the level of alert. | Note: the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency display their flood alert data differently. While the Environment Agency highlights individual rivers only, in Scotland the entire region is coloured to indicate the level of alert. |
| This map and flood alert data are supplied to the BBC by third parties. The BBC is not responsible for its accuracy and you use it at your own risk. | This map and flood alert data are supplied to the BBC by third parties. The BBC is not responsible for its accuracy and you use it at your own risk. |
| Have you been affected by Storm Desmond? You can share your comments and experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Have you been affected by Storm Desmond? You can share your comments and experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below: | Or use the form below: |