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Storm Desmond: Schools, hospitals and transport disrupted by flooding Storm Desmond: Thousands of people flooded out of homes
(about 1 hour later)
Schools, hospital services and travel have been disrupted after Storm Desmond brought winds, torrential rain and flooding to parts of the UK. Thousands of people have been flooded out of their homes or left without power after Storm Desmond wreaked havoc in 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 and Lancashire nearly 45,000 homes are suffering from power cuts, while an estimated 5,200 homes have been affected by flooding.
The Environment Agency estimates 5,200 homes have been affected by flooding in Cumbria and Lancashire, while thousands are spending a third day without power. In Cumbria, police said a man's body had been recovered from a river.
A new record was set for the amount of rain that fell in Cumbria in a day. David Cameron said the flood defences in Cumbria "were not enough" and some people might not be home for Christmas.
Prime Minister David Cameron, who is visiting Carlisle, said the flood defences were not enough to hold back the "torrential rain" and promised to re-examine Cumbria's flood defence plans. Storm Desmond lashed parts of Northern Ireland, north Wales, southern Scotland and especially north-west England over the weekend, and more heavy rain is expected this week.
'Is it enough?' Record-breaking amounts of rain fell in Cumbria, the worst-hit county.
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. The devastation has prompted criticism of the government after multimillion-pound defences built following floods in 2005 failed to keep the deluge out from people's homes in Cumbria - prompting the county to declare a major incident.
Follow live updates for Storm DesmondFollow live updates for Storm Desmond
Latest on flooding in CumbriaLatest on flooding in Cumbria
The prime minister, who is visiting Carlisle, said the flooding was "absolutely horrific" and he promised to re-examine Cumbria's flood defence plans.
In other developments:In other developments:
Mr Cameron, who chaired a meeting of the government's Cobra emergency response committee on Monday morning, said the government would fully reimburse councils for the costs of dealing with flooding.Mr Cameron, who chaired a meeting of the government's Cobra emergency response committee on Monday morning, said the government would fully reimburse councils for the costs of dealing with flooding.
The immediate response had to be to find alternative accommodation for those who had been flooded out of their homes, and help with their insurance claims, he said.The immediate response had to be to find alternative accommodation for those who had been flooded out of their homes, and help with their insurance claims, he said.
"After every flood, the thing to do is sit down, look at the money you're spending, look at what you're building, look at what you're planning to build in the future and ask, is it enough?" he said."After every flood, the thing to do is sit down, look at the money you're spending, look at what you're building, look at what you're planning to build in the future and ask, is it enough?" he said.
Shadow environment secretary, Kerry McCarthy, said it was "not enough" for the government to pledge to deal with the damage caused by flooding.
This year's flood defence budget was £115m lower than last year, and lower than flood defence expenditure in 2009-2010, she added.
Making a statement in the House of Commons, Environment Secretary Liz Truss praised the work of the emergency crews, with some travelling from south Wales, Somerset and Lincolnshire to help.Making a statement in the House of Commons, Environment Secretary Liz Truss praised the work of the emergency crews, with some travelling from south Wales, Somerset and Lincolnshire to help.
She expressed her "deepest sympathy" to all those affected, and said there had been a number of weather-related deaths over the weekend.She expressed her "deepest sympathy" to all those affected, and said there had been a number of weather-related deaths over the weekend.
At the scene Analysis
By Danny Savage, BBC North of England correspondent By David Shukman, BBC science editor
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. 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.
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. 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.
Where the water has drained away, residents are now assessing the damage. Soaking carpets are being pulled up and ruined belongings thrown away. 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.
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. 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.
How do you stop flooding?
In pictures: Storm Desmond chaosIn pictures: Storm Desmond chaos
Insurance advice for flooding victimsInsurance advice for flooding victims
Environment Agency map of flood-risk areasEnvironment Agency map of flood-risk areas
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.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.
Prof Dame Julia Slingo, chief scientist at the Met Office, said these "extraordinary amounts of water" broke records going back to the 1800s.Prof Dame Julia Slingo, chief scientist at the Met Office, said these "extraordinary amounts of water" broke records going back to the 1800s.
While there was no definitive answer on the cause, she added, "all the evidence" suggested climate change had a role to play.While there was no definitive answer on the cause, she added, "all the evidence" suggested climate change had a role to play.
Analysis
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.
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.
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.
How do you stop flooding?
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.
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.
"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."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.
Kerry McCarthy, shadow environment secretary, said it was not enough for the government to pledge to deal with the damage caused by flooding.
This year's flood defence budget was £115m lower than last year, and lower than flood defence expenditure in 2009-2010, she added.
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron - whose Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency is in Cumbria - said it was "not about pointing the finger" as the reality was "we are just getting more extreme weather".Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron - whose Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency is in Cumbria - said it was "not about pointing the finger" as the reality was "we are just getting more extreme weather".
"The question we do need to ask ourselves is whether is was right to cancel some of the funding for flood defence schemes over the last few years," he said."The question we do need to ask ourselves is whether is was right to cancel some of the funding for flood defence schemes over the last few years," he 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.
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