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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/environment/live/2015/dec/08/storm-desmond-west-coast-main-line-to-reopen-after-floods-live-updates
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Storm Desmond: west coast mainline to reopen after floods – live updates | Storm Desmond: west coast mainline to reopen after floods – live updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 9.42am GMT09:42 | |
| Here’s a reminder of the worst-hit areas: | |
| Updated at 9.44am GMT | |
| 9.41am GMT09:41 | |
| Here’s audio of the Environment Agency’s robo severe flood warning still in place for the River Wyre at St Michaels south, in Lancashire. | |
| It says: “Collect things that you need in case of evacuation such as mobile phone, warm clothes and any prescription medicines. Stay in a high place with a means of escape. You may be evacuated from your home. Cooperate with the emergency services and call 999 if you are in immediate danger.” | |
| 9.01am GMT09:01 | 9.01am GMT09:01 |
| Electricity North West says its engineers have restored power to all but 2,525 properties in Lancaster and 1,514 in Cumbria. | Electricity North West says its engineers have restored power to all but 2,525 properties in Lancaster and 1,514 in Cumbria. |
| The company’s updates should be treated with a degree of caution after it tweeted too soon about the restoration of power to homes on Monday. | The company’s updates should be treated with a degree of caution after it tweeted too soon about the restoration of power to homes on Monday. |
| More than 40,000 homes were without power on Monday night after the company said it had restored power to almost all the homes in the region. | More than 40,000 homes were without power on Monday night after the company said it had restored power to almost all the homes in the region. |
| Updated at 9.11am GMT | Updated at 9.11am GMT |
| 8.53am GMT08:53 | 8.53am GMT08:53 |
| The environment secretary, Liz Truss, has conceded that government spending on flood defence may not be enough to protect people from extreme weather events. | The environment secretary, Liz Truss, has conceded that government spending on flood defence may not be enough to protect people from extreme weather events. |
| Interviewed on the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said the government would review its projections about the frequency of the kind of flooding experienced over the weekend. | Interviewed on the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said the government would review its projections about the frequency of the kind of flooding experienced over the weekend. |
| “We do need to look at the these extreme events and look at the modelling of how likely they are to happen,” she said. | “We do need to look at the these extreme events and look at the modelling of how likely they are to happen,” she said. |
| Truss was repeatedly challenged on whether the spending on flood defences was enough to protect people from the impact of climate change. | Truss was repeatedly challenged on whether the spending on flood defences was enough to protect people from the impact of climate change. |
| She said: “The government is investing £2.3bn over the lifetime of this parliament. For the first time ever we have got a six-year programme so people can plan ahead. | She said: “The government is investing £2.3bn over the lifetime of this parliament. For the first time ever we have got a six-year programme so people can plan ahead. |
| “This spending will reduce the risk of flooding over the next six years. What it can’t do is eliminate the risk … because inevitably we have projections but we see extreme events taking place.” | “This spending will reduce the risk of flooding over the next six years. What it can’t do is eliminate the risk … because inevitably we have projections but we see extreme events taking place.” |
| Asked about a call by the Association of British Insurers to spend a £1bn a year on flood defences, Truss said: “It is impossible to eliminate all risk, but what we are doing is trying to minimise that. | Asked about a call by the Association of British Insurers to spend a £1bn a year on flood defences, Truss said: “It is impossible to eliminate all risk, but what we are doing is trying to minimise that. |
| “We will indeed examine what more we can do to project the extreme weather conditions we’ve seen. | “We will indeed examine what more we can do to project the extreme weather conditions we’ve seen. |
| “In an environment where overall the government budget is reducing we are spending more on flood defences because it is a priority.” | “In an environment where overall the government budget is reducing we are spending more on flood defences because it is a priority.” |
| Speaking on a visit to flood-hit Carlisle, Truss said the government was working to help people as quickly as possible. She pointed out that river levels in Carlisle over the weekend were half a metre higher than ever seen before | Speaking on a visit to flood-hit Carlisle, Truss said the government was working to help people as quickly as possible. She pointed out that river levels in Carlisle over the weekend were half a metre higher than ever seen before |
| “The scale of this was absolutely extraordinary”, Truss said. | “The scale of this was absolutely extraordinary”, Truss said. |
| She added: “My priority is ensure that our emergency measures on the ground are working, that people are protected, that we get the power supply up and running as soon as possible and we get people back in their homes.” | She added: “My priority is ensure that our emergency measures on the ground are working, that people are protected, that we get the power supply up and running as soon as possible and we get people back in their homes.” |
| Truss said that as well as flood defences the government was looking at other measures to reduce the risk of flooding. | Truss said that as well as flood defences the government was looking at other measures to reduce the risk of flooding. |
| She said: “I completely agree that we also need to look at catchment wide solutions, upstream measures such as planting more trees ... We are committed to planting 11m trees over the course of this parliament.” | She said: “I completely agree that we also need to look at catchment wide solutions, upstream measures such as planting more trees ... We are committed to planting 11m trees over the course of this parliament.” |
| Updated at 9.32am GMT | |
| 8.13am GMT08:13 | 8.13am GMT08:13 |
| New drone footage from Helipromo shows the extent of the flooding. | New drone footage from Helipromo shows the extent of the flooding. |
| 8.08am GMT08:08 | 8.08am GMT08:08 |
| Helen Pidd | Helen Pidd |
| Medical supplies have been brought in by boat into one remote Lake District village cut off from the outside world after Storm Desmond hit, writes Helen Pidd. | Medical supplies have been brought in by boat into one remote Lake District village cut off from the outside world after Storm Desmond hit, writes Helen Pidd. |
| Access roads to Glenridding, on the southern shores of Ullswater, were destroyed in the storm on Saturday, with some sections of the A592 being subsumed by the lake and others made impassable by debris. | Access roads to Glenridding, on the southern shores of Ullswater, were destroyed in the storm on Saturday, with some sections of the A592 being subsumed by the lake and others made impassable by debris. |
| On Monday Mountain Rescue 4x4s managed to bring in two doctors to man the village surgery, while hundreds remained stuck in the shadow of Helvelyn. | On Monday Mountain Rescue 4x4s managed to bring in two doctors to man the village surgery, while hundreds remained stuck in the shadow of Helvelyn. |
| Mountaineer Alan Hinkes visited on Monday and reported back on Twitter: “It’s like a Tsunami hit Glenridding a lot work tday with big diggers etc & locals getn stuck in.” | Mountaineer Alan Hinkes visited on Monday and reported back on Twitter: “It’s like a Tsunami hit Glenridding a lot work tday with big diggers etc & locals getn stuck in.” |
| A591 Kendal to Keswick rd washed away N Dunmail Raise pic.twitter.com/AM6RdJfL42 | A591 Kendal to Keswick rd washed away N Dunmail Raise pic.twitter.com/AM6RdJfL42 |
| Andy Towler, temporary assistant chief constable of Cumbria police, said on Tuesday morning that the force was pushing in resource overnight. “A major effort is underway to link the valley back up and support those communities,” he said. | Andy Towler, temporary assistant chief constable of Cumbria police, said on Tuesday morning that the force was pushing in resource overnight. “A major effort is underway to link the valley back up and support those communities,” he said. |
| Dylan Jackson, a ranger from the Lake District National Park (LDNP), tweeted photos from the village showing the national park information centre inundated by rocks and rubble. | Dylan Jackson, a ranger from the Lake District National Park (LDNP), tweeted photos from the village showing the national park information centre inundated by rocks and rubble. |
| “Not good news for the LDNP, but not as devastating as it is to local business and home owners in Glenridding whose livelihoods are at stake,” he tweeted. | “Not good news for the LDNP, but not as devastating as it is to local business and home owners in Glenridding whose livelihoods are at stake,” he tweeted. |
| Finally help getting to Glenridding and Patterdale. Made it to Glenridding. This is the LDNP Info Centre pic.twitter.com/rZMp6nOZ4N | Finally help getting to Glenridding and Patterdale. Made it to Glenridding. This is the LDNP Info Centre pic.twitter.com/rZMp6nOZ4N |
| In the Inn on the Lake, a wedding party had been marooned since Saturday when the storm hit. Laura Boswell-Stones, a HR assistant from Plymouth, said her husband Sam had been holed up in the hotel all weekend, unable to leave, after attending his best friend’s nuptials. She’d managed to snatch a few conversations with him: “He said he was going to give up his bed because there were elderly people sleeping on the sofas in the lounge after the Best Western up the road was evacuated,” she said. | In the Inn on the Lake, a wedding party had been marooned since Saturday when the storm hit. Laura Boswell-Stones, a HR assistant from Plymouth, said her husband Sam had been holed up in the hotel all weekend, unable to leave, after attending his best friend’s nuptials. She’d managed to snatch a few conversations with him: “He said he was going to give up his bed because there were elderly people sleeping on the sofas in the lounge after the Best Western up the road was evacuated,” she said. |
| On Monday night she said she’d been told the army had arrived in Glenridding but that those stuck were unlikely to get out before the weekend. | On Monday night she said she’d been told the army had arrived in Glenridding but that those stuck were unlikely to get out before the weekend. |
| Photographer Mark Littlejohn managed to reach the area on foot, posting photos on Twitter of a tractor attempting to pass the flooded road. | Photographer Mark Littlejohn managed to reach the area on foot, posting photos on Twitter of a tractor attempting to pass the flooded road. |
| Trying to get to Glenridding isn't easy. Other folk still trying to get through and getting stuck pic.twitter.com/s5OTgYVrJw | Trying to get to Glenridding isn't easy. Other folk still trying to get through and getting stuck pic.twitter.com/s5OTgYVrJw |
| 7.52am GMT07:52 | 7.52am GMT07:52 |
| Summary | Summary |
| Welcome to our continuing live coverage of the aftermath of the floods following record rainfall in Cumbria and Lancashire. | Welcome to our continuing live coverage of the aftermath of the floods following record rainfall in Cumbria and Lancashire. |
| Here’s a roundup of where things currently stand: | Here’s a roundup of where things currently stand: |
| Updated at 9.17am GMT | Updated at 9.17am GMT |