Tsunami disaster 2

Three people have died and two are missing after storms flooded homes and cut off power to thousands in northern England and elsewhere.
A 63-year-old man was crushed after a barn collapsed on his caravan in Cumbria, and two elderly women died in flooded properties in Carlisle.

In West Yorkshire and Morayshire two people have gone missing.

Flood levels in Carlisle, the worst-hit area in the UK, have receded, but forecasters warn of more rain to come.


'Water receding'

Thousands in Carlisle were moved from their homes overnight, spending the night in emergency accommodation.

We're still all in complete shock really... we've been told we could be here for four or five days

Rescued resident Peter Graham


In pictures: Carlisle flood

Food, water and medicines have been distributed to homes affected by the floods.

Police have warned those who have been evacuated not to return to their homes.

They also said people should avoid contact with contaminated water and urged children not to paddle in flooded areas because of the risk of gastro-enteritis and Hepatitis A.

Chief Constable of Cumbria, Michael Baxter, said he was "encouraged" that the water had begun to recede but warned that Carlisle would be in "a state of emergency" for "at least three or four days".

"The recovery operation is coming together but people's lives are going to be disrupted for quite some time as a result of this," he told BBC News.

His officers were going door to door trying to persuade everyone in the affected areas to leave their homes for reception centres, he added.

'Shock'

Major Mel Robinson, from the Salvation Army, is coordinating the evacuation operation at North Cumbria Technology College, where scores of people are being looked after.

He said: "Some of them have lost everything but I think because everyone's seen the tsunami on the television they realise that compared to those people their problems are not so bad."

Peter Graham, 66, had to leave his home in Carlisle on Saturday afternoon.


RAF sea rescue helicopters were called in to winch people to safety

"We're still all in complete shock really. We couldn't believe what was happening. Last night everyone slept on mattresses on the floor. We've been told we could be here for four or five days," he said.

About 70,000 homes were left without power in the area overnight on Saturday and a spokesman for United Utilities said there was a "strong possibility" many would again be without power on Sunday night.

The fact that there was still three metres of water in the city's flooded sub-station was hampering efforts to restore power, he added.

On Sunday afternoon, environment minister Elliot Morley visited Carlisle, where the cost of the damage caused by the flooding could run into tens of millions of pounds.

He said plans for a ¢G20m flood scheme for the city had been drawn up before Saturday's severe weather conditions started and were in the process of being finalised.

Search and rescue

Elsewhere, 100 people who were trapped on board a P&O ferry which ran aground at Cairnryan Harbour, on the west coast of Scotland, reached shore.

MAJOR ROADS CLOSED
London Road only safe route in or out of Carlisle, say police
A69 closed at Warwick Bridge, east of Carlisle
A686 closed both ways between Penrith and Alston, Cumbria
A684 (Finkle Street) in Sedbergh closed
A66 in Cumbria closed to high-sided vehicles at Penrith

The 43 passengers and 57 crew had to spend the night on the ferry after it ran aground in winds of up to 100 miles per hour on its way from Larne, County Antrim.

On Sunday, rescuers resumed a search for a man in the River Aire in Bradford.

And, in Scotland, the search for 42-year-old Andrew MacDonald, from Forres, who police believe may have been swept away in the River Findhorn on Saturday morning, also continued.

BBC forecaster Everton Fox said more rain would hit Cumbria, with up to 40mm due to fall in the 24-36 hours into Monday.

Strong winds would continue in north Wales and elsewhere in northern England and would also affect Northern Ireland, with gusts of up to 70-80 mph expected, he said.

Gusting winds

More than 30 flood warnings are in place in England, Scotland and Wales, together with an additional 47 flood watches.

There are two severe flood warnings of imminent danger to life and property - for the River Eden, Carlisle, and the River Caldew, in nearby Denton Holme.

Motorists in affected areas are being advised not to make journeys unless absolutely necessary, and farmers are being told to move livestock to higher ground.

Gusts of winds reached speeds of 90 mph, overturning lorries, causing travel chaos and leaving hundreds of thousands of people across Britain without power.

Around 4,000 homes in Northern Ireland remained without power on Sunday as Northern Ireland Electricity warned continued severe weather was hampering work to restore power.

In Denmark and Sweden at least seven people died when hurricane-strength winds hit.

 

[ Back ]