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-35023558
The article has changed 23 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 12 | Version 13 |
|---|---|
| Storm Desmond: Schools, hospitals and transport disrupted by flooding | Storm Desmond: Schools, hospitals and transport disrupted by flooding |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Schools, hospital services and travel have been disrupted after Storm Desmond brought winds, torrential rain and flooding to parts of the UK. | Schools, hospital services and travel have been disrupted after Storm Desmond brought winds, torrential rain and flooding to parts of the UK. |
| In Cumbria, the county worst-hit by flooding, police said a man's body had been found in a river near Kendal. | In Cumbria, the county worst-hit by flooding, police said a man's body had been found in a river near Kendal. |
| More than 2,500 homes are without power in Cumbria, where rescue workers are spending a third day evacuating people. | More than 2,500 homes are without power in Cumbria, where rescue workers are spending a third day evacuating people. |
| It has been confirmed that a new record was set for the amount of rain that fell in Cumbria in a 24-hour period. | It has been confirmed that a new record was set for the amount of rain that fell in Cumbria in a 24-hour period. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron said he would visit flood-hit areas later. | Prime Minister David Cameron said he would visit flood-hit areas later. |
| 'Soaking carpets' | 'Soaking carpets' |
| Storm Desmond lashed parts of Northern Ireland, north Wales, southern Scotland and especially north-west England over the weekend, with the worst flooding in Cumbria and Lancashire. | Storm Desmond lashed parts of Northern Ireland, north Wales, southern Scotland and especially north-west England over the weekend, with the worst flooding in Cumbria and Lancashire. |
| Follow live updates for Storm Desmond | Follow live updates for Storm Desmond |
| Latest on flooding in Cumbria | Latest on flooding in Cumbria |
| A Cumbria Police statement said officers, along with an underwater search team, were working to recover the body found in a search of the River Kent. | A Cumbria Police statement said officers, along with an underwater search team, were working to recover the body found in a search of the River Kent. |
| The search had been launched after reports on Sunday morning that an elderly man had fallen in to the water, the statement added. | The search had been launched after reports on Sunday morning that an elderly man had fallen in to the water, the statement added. |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| The government will fully reimburse councils for the costs of dealing with flooding, the prime minister has said. | |
| Mr Cameron spoke about the flooding while on a school visit in Staffordshire, after chairing a meeting of the government's Cobra emergency response committee on Monday morning. | |
| "What we must do now is make sure everything is done to help in this vital phase of dealing with the floods," he said. | |
| "Then there's the vital recovery phase where we need to try and help people get their insurance claims and help people get back into their homes." | |
| He also said ministers would review existing flood defences in England and Wales. Environment Secretary Liz Truss is due to give more details when she addresses the House of Commons later. | |
| The government has faced criticism after multimillion-pound defences built following devastating floods in 2005 failed to keep the deluge out from people's homes in Cumbria - prompting the county to declare a major incident. | The government has faced criticism after multimillion-pound defences built following devastating floods in 2005 failed to keep the deluge out from people's homes in Cumbria - prompting the county to declare a major incident. |
| At the scene | At the scene |
| By Danny Savage, BBC North of England correspondent | By Danny Savage, BBC North of England correspondent |
| It's getting better in Carlisle but it's a long way from being over. The water in the Warwick Road area of the city is receding and the perimeter of the flood zone has shrunk. | It's getting better in Carlisle but it's a long way from being over. The water in the Warwick Road area of the city is receding and the perimeter of the flood zone has shrunk. |
| But 36 hours on, people are still being rescued. Lifeboat crews say these are mainly people who thought they would tough it out at home but have finally decided enough is enough. | But 36 hours on, people are still being rescued. Lifeboat crews say these are mainly people who thought they would tough it out at home but have finally decided enough is enough. |
| Where the water has drained away, residents are now assessing the damage. Soaking carpets are being pulled up and ruined belongings thrown away. | Where the water has drained away, residents are now assessing the damage. Soaking carpets are being pulled up and ruined belongings thrown away. |
| And they know what's ahead. It will take months to dry out these homes and people here are well acquainted with the long miserable experience. | And they know what's ahead. It will take months to dry out these homes and people here are well acquainted with the long miserable experience. |
| In pictures: Storm Desmond chaos | In pictures: Storm Desmond chaos |
| Insurance advice for flooding victims | Insurance advice for flooding victims |
| Environment Agency map of flood-risk areas | |
| Electricity North West said on Monday morning that power had been restored to all but 300 of 55,000 affected homes in Lancaster and the surrounding area that had lost supply late on Saturday after a substation was flooded during the storm. | Electricity North West said on Monday morning that power had been restored to all but 300 of 55,000 affected homes in Lancaster and the surrounding area that had lost supply late on Saturday after a substation was flooded during the storm. |
| In Carlisle, about 2,500 properties remained flooded, said Supt Mark Pannone, of Cumbria Police. He also said the rail network in Cumbria remained "basically at a standstill". | In Carlisle, about 2,500 properties remained flooded, said Supt Mark Pannone, of Cumbria Police. He also said the rail network in Cumbria remained "basically at a standstill". |
| Keswick resident Rich Gale experienced previous floods in 2005 and 2009, but said he had felt "reasonably safe" since the Environment Agency extended the town's flood defence wall and he added protection to his own home. | Keswick resident Rich Gale experienced previous floods in 2005 and 2009, but said he had felt "reasonably safe" since the Environment Agency extended the town's flood defence wall and he added protection to his own home. |
| But he said: "We stayed in our house because after the 2009 flood we bought flood defences for our home so we thought we'd better stay in and try and mop up any leaks that come in, but we just got overwhelmed and we ended up leaving our house." | But he said: "We stayed in our house because after the 2009 flood we bought flood defences for our home so we thought we'd better stay in and try and mop up any leaks that come in, but we just got overwhelmed and we ended up leaving our house." |
| The Met Office says Honister in Cumbria received 341.4mm (13.4in) of rain in the 24-hour period from 18:30 GMT on Friday 4 December to 18:30 GMT on Saturday 5 December. | |
| This beats the previous UK record set at Seathwaite, also in Cumbria, of 316.4mm (12.4in) on 19 November 2009. | This beats the previous UK record set at Seathwaite, also in Cumbria, of 316.4mm (12.4in) on 19 November 2009. |
| John Leyland, deputy director of operations at the Environment Agency, said the volume of rainfall had been an "unprecedented event... beyond the forecasts and beyond the models". | John Leyland, deputy director of operations at the Environment Agency, said the volume of rainfall had been an "unprecedented event... beyond the forecasts and beyond the models". |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By David Shukman, BBC science editor | By David Shukman, BBC science editor |
| The ferocity of the storm and the sheer volume of the rainfall have inevitably raised questions about whether global warming has exacerbated the risk. The answer is not straightforward. | The ferocity of the storm and the sheer volume of the rainfall have inevitably raised questions about whether global warming has exacerbated the risk. The answer is not straightforward. |
| Scientists always shy away from blaming any particular weather event on climate change. But they also point to a basic physical property of the atmosphere: that warmer air can hold more moisture. | Scientists always shy away from blaming any particular weather event on climate change. But they also point to a basic physical property of the atmosphere: that warmer air can hold more moisture. |
| That means that rising temperatures are likely to lead to storms that may drop more rain - and in more intense bursts. And figures from the Met Office do point to a slight increase in the intensity of rainfall in the UK over the past 60 years. | That means that rising temperatures are likely to lead to storms that may drop more rain - and in more intense bursts. And figures from the Met Office do point to a slight increase in the intensity of rainfall in the UK over the past 60 years. |
| Flood engineers already try to take account of climate change in their planning. That work needs constant updating. | Flood engineers already try to take account of climate change in their planning. That work needs constant updating. |
| And whatever the factors involved - everything from saturated soil to new acres of car park to the always fickle British weather - many people here in Cumbria will be asking whether the authorities are getting their calculations right. | And whatever the factors involved - everything from saturated soil to new acres of car park to the always fickle British weather - many people here in Cumbria will be asking whether the authorities are getting their calculations right. |
| How do you stop flooding? | How do you stop flooding? |
| Stewart Young, leader of Cumbria County Council, said there needed to be an investigation into the flood defences. | Stewart Young, leader of Cumbria County Council, said there needed to be an investigation into the flood defences. |
| He said: "I'll be talking to our local MPs later today and, if we need to, the Environment Agency needs to revisit them [flood defences]. That's what's going to have to happen because we can't continue to have events like this, we just won't be able to cope." | He said: "I'll be talking to our local MPs later today and, if we need to, the Environment Agency needs to revisit them [flood defences]. That's what's going to have to happen because we can't continue to have events like this, we just won't be able to cope." |
| Kerry McCarthy, shadow environment secretary, said it was "not enough for David Cameron to promise that 'money is no object' after serious floods happen". | |
| "Under his watch £115m has been cut from flood management in the past year," she said. | |
| 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. |
| 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: |