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UK floods: thousands evacuated after 'unprecedented' crisis UK floods: people told to waterproof their homes because of increase in 'unknown extremes'
(35 minutes later)
9.10am GMT09:10
The GMB union has criticised planned staff cuts at the Environment Agency which it said would reduce the number of people able to respond to floods out of hours, PA reports.
National officer Justin Bowden said a meeting due in the middle of January to decide how many jobs should go in which parts of the country as part of a funding squeeze should be halted.
“You would have thought David Cameron had learnt the lesson from the floods of 2013/14. Apparently not,” he said. “GMB members at the Environment Agency still do not know what day-to-day revenue spending will be on maintenance of flood defences from 2016/17 onwards.
“This is apart from the scrapping of hundreds of flood defence schemes due to cuts in spending. The Environment Agency Board should ask government to halt these cuts.
As things stand, the number of staff who will be available to deal with flooding out of hours is due to fall. There will be a meeting in mid-January 2016 to discuss how many jobs will be cut and where. This meeting should be called off. This month’s weather and flooding are yet another reminder of the foolhardy stupidity of the Government making spending cuts to the Environment Agency.”
9.03am GMT09:03
Here is our latest flood graphic, showing the worst hit areas.
8.50am GMT08:50
'We are moving from known extremes to unknown extremes'
Britain is now facing “unknown extremes” in weather, which means flood defences alone will not prevent disasters and people will need to “waterproof their homes”, David Rooke, the deputy chief executive of the Environment Agency, has said.
“We are moving from know extremes to unknown extremes,” he told the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, adding that no country can guarantee against flooding.
Under repeated questioning as to whether the government had done enough on flood protection, Rooke returned to the review the government had set up after the earlier floods in Cumbria.
“The review will seek to to look at whether assumptions are valid,” he said. “We need to reassess all defences across the country and what protection is needed in the future.”
He said: “We will need to have that complete rethink and I think we will need to move from not just providing better defences – and we have a £2.3bn programme to do that over the next six years – but looking at increasing resilience so that, when properties do flood, they’ve got solid floors, we have waterproof plaster, we’ve moved the electrics up the wall, people can get back into their homes and their businesses very quickly and that we continue to improve our flood warning systems so that, in the event of defences overtopping, people have time to take action and we can save lives.”
Elizabeth Truss, the environment secretary, announced a national flood resilience review two weeks ago. The review will see the government updating “worst case scenario” planning, consider the future impacts of climate change and carry out a risk assessment of critical infrastructure such as electricity substations.
The review will be led by the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Letwin, and include the government’s chief scientist, the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the chief executive of the Environment Agency.
Rory Stewart, parliamentary undersecretary of state for Defra, will also be taking on a special floods envoy role across Cumbria and Lancashire coordinating the flood recovery operation across local agencies.
Updated at 9.12am GMT
8.23am GMT08:238.23am GMT08:23
It’s five days since the waters began to rise and thousands of people across the north of England have been badly affected by flooding. Many areas are expecting some respite today but the storms are expecting to return on Wednesday. Meanwhile, there is a growing political row over government cuts to the country’s flood defence systems.It’s five days since the waters began to rise and thousands of people across the north of England have been badly affected by flooding. Many areas are expecting some respite today but the storms are expecting to return on Wednesday. Meanwhile, there is a growing political row over government cuts to the country’s flood defence systems.
Here is what we know so far this morning:Here is what we know so far this morning:
• The Environment Agency currently has 24 severe flood warnings in place for the north-east and three severe flood warnings in place for the north-west. • The Environment Agency has 24 severe flood warnings in place for north-east England and three severe flood warnings in place for the north-west.
• There are almost 200 other flood warnings and alerts in place across the area and other parts including Wales and the Midlands. Three cities – York, Manchester and Leeds - have been badly affected. • There are almost 200 other flood warnings and alerts in place across the area and other parts, including Wales and the Midlands. Three cities – York, Manchester and Leeds – have been badly affected.
• The worst-hit areas will have some respite from rain today but the crisis looks set to continue as more bad weather sweeps in. Rain will batter the north of England on Wednesday with up to three inches (80mm) falling on high ground and potentially in excess of 4.7ins (120mm) in exposed locations - with most places seeing up to 1.5ins (40mm). • The worst-hit areas will have some respite from rain today but the crisis looks set to continue as more bad weather sweeps in. Rain will batter the north of England on Wednesday with up to three inches (80mm) falling on high ground and potentially in excess of 4.7ins (120mm) in exposed locations – with most places seeing up to 1.5ins (40mm).
• The threat in York appears to be easing. Charlie Croft, from York City Council, confirmed that river waters in the city had peaked, telling the BBC: “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.” • The threat in York appears to be easing. Charlie Croft, from York city council, confirmed that river waters in the city had peaked, telling the BBC: “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.”
• David Cameron is expected to visit stricken communities today. The government has pledged to look again at the quality of the UK’s flood defences as home and business owners face up to a miserable start to the new year.• David Cameron is expected to visit stricken communities today. The government has pledged to look again at the quality of the UK’s flood defences as home and business owners face up to a miserable start to the new year.
• Some 500 military troops have been mobilised to aid emergency services, with another 1,000 on standby should the situation worsen. Military personnel were mobilised on Sunday to help people in Yorkshire and Lancashire as they battled to keep rising flood waters from the doors of their homes and businesses. • Five hundred military troops have been mobilised to aid emergency services, with another 1,000 on standby should the situation worsen. Military personnel were mobilised on Sunday to help people in Yorkshire and Lancashire as they battled to keep rising flood waters from the doors of their homes and businesses.
Updated at 9.00am GMT