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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/environment/live/2015/dec/07/storm-desmond-cameron-to-chair-emergency-meeting-live-updates
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| Storm Desmond: Cameron to chair emergency meeting – live updates | Storm Desmond: Cameron to chair emergency meeting – live updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 8.48am GMT08:48 | |
| The A69 road in Cumbria between Brampton and the M6 motorway remains closed because of flooding from the River Eden at Warwick Bridge. | |
| But the Highways Agency, which insists on calling drivers ‘customers’, has announced that A66 between Keswick and Cockermouth has reopened. | |
| 8.36am GMT08:36 | |
| Environment Agency to review response to floods | |
| Sir James Bevan, the new chief executive of the Environment Agency, said his organisation will review its response to the floods. | |
| But speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme he pointed out that rain levels over the weekend were unprecedented and that the EA could “never completely protect all communities”. | |
| He said: “We will review what happened and learn the lessons for the future.” | |
| He added: “You can never prevent all flooding. That’s why we prefer to talk about managing the risk.” | |
| He insisted the EA does have enough resources to deal with flood defences, but that it would have to make efficiency savings. “We have that confirmed capital investment of £2.3bn,” Bevan said. | |
| Asked about criticism by the Liberal Democrat leader, Tim Farron, that the EA had shelved hundreds of flood-defence schemes, Bevan said: “We are keen to prioritise. We can’t do them all simultaneously.” | |
| Updated at 8.46am GMT | |
| 8.16am GMT08:16 | 8.16am GMT08:16 |
| Anger is mounting at the failure of flood defences. | Anger is mounting at the failure of flood defences. |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Cumbria County Council’s leader, Stewart Young, said: “There does need to be an investigation into the flood defences. | |
| “I will be talking to our local MPs later today and if the Environment Agency needs to revisit them then that’s what’s going to have to happen because we can’t continue to have events like this in Cumbria – we just won’t be able to cope.” | |
| Environmental campaigner George Monbiot wants to see more discussion on the causes of the flooding. | Environmental campaigner George Monbiot wants to see more discussion on the causes of the flooding. |
| And NO discussion of watersheds and upstream river management. News reporting at its worst: all spectacle and no explanation. #flooding | And NO discussion of watersheds and upstream river management. News reporting at its worst: all spectacle and no explanation. #flooding |
| Updated at 8.40am GMT | |
| 8.07am GMT08:07 | 8.07am GMT08:07 |
| Electricity North West said 40,000 homes in its region should have power restored by Monday evening. In a statement it said: | Electricity North West said 40,000 homes in its region should have power restored by Monday evening. In a statement it said: |
| “Using generators from across the UK, engineers have restored power to 11,000 homes in Lancaster and aim to restore another 4,000 later this morning. | “Using generators from across the UK, engineers have restored power to 11,000 homes in Lancaster and aim to restore another 4,000 later this morning. |
| “Engineers are working round the clock in shifts to repair damage caused to the area’s main substation which flooded on Saturday night. The remaining 40,000 properties should be restored by re-energising the substation by Monday evening.” | “Engineers are working round the clock in shifts to repair damage caused to the area’s main substation which flooded on Saturday night. The remaining 40,000 properties should be restored by re-energising the substation by Monday evening.” |
| The statement said that 2,685 properties in Cumbria remained without power because of 11 separate faults caused by flooding, with flood water preventing engineers from getting to the sites to carry out repairs. | The statement said that 2,685 properties in Cumbria remained without power because of 11 separate faults caused by flooding, with flood water preventing engineers from getting to the sites to carry out repairs. |
| Electricity North West’s incident manager, Steve Cox, said: “We’ve had engineers on boats working with the emergency services to try and access faults in Cumbria, and we’ve seen sterling efforts from teams in Lancaster to repair the damaged substation, while others connect generators to speed up restoration to customers.” | |
| Updated at 8.37am GMT | |
| 7.57am GMT07:57 | 7.57am GMT07:57 |
| Summary | Summary |
| Welcome to live coverage on the aftermath of the flooding caused by Storm Desmond. | Welcome to live coverage on the aftermath of the flooding caused by Storm Desmond. |
| Here’s a roundup of how things currently stand: | Here’s a roundup of how things currently stand: |
| Updated at 8.37am GMT |