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| UK floods: 'Complete rethink needed' on flood defences | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A "complete rethink" of the UK's flood defences is required following widespread flooding across northern England, the Environment Agency says. | A "complete rethink" of the UK's flood defences is required following widespread flooding across northern England, the Environment Agency says. |
| Deputy chief executive David Rooke said better waterproofing of homes and improved warning systems would be vital for tackling future weather extremes. | Deputy chief executive David Rooke said better waterproofing of homes and improved warning systems would be vital for tackling future weather extremes. |
| Parts of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Greater Manchester were flooded after downpours caused river banks to burst. | Parts of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Greater Manchester were flooded after downpours caused river banks to burst. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron defended government funding for flood defences. | |
| He denied accusations that there was a "north-south divide" in efforts to prevent flooding, saying the UK spends "more per head of the population on flood defences in the north than we do in the south". | |
| "We are going to spend £2.3bn on flood defences in this parliament but we will look at what's happened here and see what needs to be done," he added. | |
| Mr Cameron earlier tweeted that he had met some of the military personnel "doing so much to help people hit by floods in York". | |
| Latest updates from northern England | Latest updates from northern England |
| In Pictures: UK flooding continues | In Pictures: UK flooding continues |
| Christmas flooding: Your pictures | Christmas flooding: Your pictures |
| The Environment Agency has nine severe flood warnings - meaning danger to life - in place in north-east and north-west England, and more than 100 other flood alerts across England and Wales. | |
| It comes as more heavy rain and wind is forecast for late Tuesday into Wednesday. | |
| BBC Weather's Nick Miller says this next bout of bad weather has officially been named Storm Frank. | |
| The Environment Agency's Mr Rooke told the BBC the UK was moving from a period of "known extremes" of weather to one of "unknown extremes". | |
| Asked if the UK needed a new response to flooding, he said: "I think we will need to have that complete rethink and I think we will need to move from not just providing better defences - and we've got a £2.3bn programme to do that over the next six years - but also looking at increasing resilience." | Asked if the UK needed a new response to flooding, he said: "I think we will need to have that complete rethink and I think we will need to move from not just providing better defences - and we've got a £2.3bn programme to do that over the next six years - but also looking at increasing resilience." |
| This would mean "when properties do flood, that they have solid floors, waterproof plaster, more electrics up the wall - so that people can get into their houses and businesses more quickly". | This would mean "when properties do flood, that they have solid floors, waterproof plaster, more electrics up the wall - so that people can get into their houses and businesses more quickly". |
| The UK needed to "improve our flood warning systems" so people had more time to take action during flooding and lives could be saved, he added. | The UK needed to "improve our flood warning systems" so people had more time to take action during flooding and lives could be saved, he added. |
| Record levels | Record levels |
| Many places in northern England have seen record river levels over the past 24 hours, including the River Aire in Leeds, and the rivers Calder and Ribble, affecting places such as Whalley, Hebden Bridge and Ribchester. | Many places in northern England have seen record river levels over the past 24 hours, including the River Aire in Leeds, and the rivers Calder and Ribble, affecting places such as Whalley, Hebden Bridge and Ribchester. |
| The River Ouse is now thought to have stabilised in York, where hundreds of people had to leave flooded homes following the torrential rain over Christmas. | The River Ouse is now thought to have stabilised in York, where hundreds of people had to leave flooded homes following the torrential rain over Christmas. |
| York Council spokesman Charlie Croft said: "We have to say that we are still in the middle of a major incident, though tentative positive news is that the river may now have stopped rising at this point." | York Council spokesman Charlie Croft said: "We have to say that we are still in the middle of a major incident, though tentative positive news is that the river may now have stopped rising at this point." |
| Extra soldiers have been deployed to aid emergency services, and about 200 unpaid mountain rescue volunteers from Wales, Cornwall and the Lake District have also been helping in the city. | Extra soldiers have been deployed to aid emergency services, and about 200 unpaid mountain rescue volunteers from Wales, Cornwall and the Lake District have also been helping in the city. |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| On Sunday, the government said 200 soldiers were being deployed to areas hit by flooding, in addition to 300 already on the ground, while another 1,000 personnel are in reserve. | On Sunday, the government said 200 soldiers were being deployed to areas hit by flooding, in addition to 300 already on the ground, while another 1,000 personnel are in reserve. |
| Emergency funding | Emergency funding |
| Downing Street said emergency financial assistance would be available to homes and businesses in Yorkshire and Lancashire. | Downing Street said emergency financial assistance would be available to homes and businesses in Yorkshire and Lancashire. |
| They will have access to the support package announced earlier in the month for people affected by Storm Desmond in Cumbria. | They will have access to the support package announced earlier in the month for people affected by Storm Desmond in Cumbria. |
| Shadow communities secretary Jon Trickett called for a major programme of public works and an end to cuts to local authorities in order to deal with the flooding. | Shadow communities secretary Jon Trickett called for a major programme of public works and an end to cuts to local authorities in order to deal with the flooding. |
| Meanwhile, the Met Office has issued yellow (be aware) warnings for rain on Wednesday in areas of northern England, Wales and Northern Ireland, bringing the threat of further flooding. | Meanwhile, the Met Office has issued yellow (be aware) warnings for rain on Wednesday in areas of northern England, Wales and Northern Ireland, bringing the threat of further flooding. |
| Amber (be prepared) warnings for rain are also in place for parts of Scotland on Wednesday. There are currently no flood warnings in Scotland. | Amber (be prepared) warnings for rain are also in place for parts of Scotland on Wednesday. There are currently no flood warnings in Scotland. |
| People can access information from council websites and the Environment Agency Floodline. | People can access information from council websites and the Environment Agency Floodline. |
| The agency is also operating a phone line - 0345 988 1188 - which will be staffed rather than offering recorded information. | The agency is also operating a phone line - 0345 988 1188 - which will be staffed rather than offering recorded information. |
| Timeline: December flooding | Timeline: December flooding |
| 5 December: Storm Desmond brings more than a month's rain to parts of Cumbria, leading to flooding in Carlisle and other areas | 5 December: Storm Desmond brings more than a month's rain to parts of Cumbria, leading to flooding in Carlisle and other areas |
| 12 December: River levels remain high and more than 70 flood warnings are issued amid more heavy rain | 12 December: River levels remain high and more than 70 flood warnings are issued amid more heavy rain |
| 22 December: Communities in Cumbria flood again - some for the third time in less than a month | 22 December: Communities in Cumbria flood again - some for the third time in less than a month |
| 25 December: More than 100 flood alerts and warnings are issued across England and Wales as Storm Eva brings torrential rain | 25 December: More than 100 flood alerts and warnings are issued across England and Wales as Storm Eva brings torrential rain |
| 26 December: Residents in West Yorkshire and Lancashire are evacuated from their homes and flooding hits Leeds, Greater Manchester and York | 26 December: Residents in West Yorkshire and Lancashire are evacuated from their homes and flooding hits Leeds, Greater Manchester and York |
| 27 December: Police in York advise hundreds of people to evacuate their homes as severe flood warnings remain in place in northern England | 27 December: Police in York advise hundreds of people to evacuate their homes as severe flood warnings remain in place in northern England |
| 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. |
| Are you affected by the issues raised in this story? If it is safe for you to get in touch, please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your pictures and experiences. | Are you affected by the issues raised in this story? If it is safe for you to get in touch, please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your pictures and experiences. |
| 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 |