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Hundreds of properties in Britain are today under threat from life-threatening flooding as the country is hit by up to eight inches of rain.
Emergency evacuation plans are in place in a Cumbrian town after river levels rose yesterday and torrential rain continues to batter the North West.
The Environment Agency has issued six severe flood warnings for the region, while there are 190 normal warnings or alerts for England and Wales.
And the Met Office has issued an amber ‘be prepared’ warning with severe rain expected to fall in some areas until at least Wednesday.
It comes in the wake of Storm Abigail which left more than 20,000 homes without power and shut schools in Shetland and the Western Isles.
Up to 1,000 properties are thought to be under threat along the River Kent around the town of Kendal after river levels rose throughout yesterday.
The highest flood alert level indicates a ‘possible danger to life’, with residents told to ‘take immediate action and prepare for property flooding’.
It follows the Met Office’s amber weather warning for rain for the North West and Scottish Borders regions, which is in place until 6pm today.
More than a month’s rain is expected to fall in these areas this weekend, following a week of bad weather which has left ground saturated.
South Lakeland District Council said it has advised people in Kendal living in some areas close to the River Kent that they may have to evacuate.
The council set up a reception centre at Kendal Town Hall for residents and said military personnel could be used to help with flood defence.
But Dave Hughes, chairman of Kendal Mountain Rescue, said some residents had been unwilling to leave their homes.
He told the BBC: ‘Some people decided to stay at home. You can understand that people may be reluctant to leave their beds.’
On the other side of the Lake District in Egremont, similar arrangements for evacuated residents were made at West Lakes Academy.
And police warned motorists in Cumbria to drive ‘only if absolutely necessary’, with major roads affected including the A66.
A Cumbria Police spokesman said: ‘People are being advised to get to a non-flood risk area and stay inside during the worst of the weather.’
Chief inspector Matt Kennerley also warned of significant cross-winds in the Shap area, where the M6 crosses high ground in Cumbria.
A particularly heavy band of rain has been slowly working its way north across Wales and into the North West.
Forecasters have warned it will bring an extremely high level of rain on high ground – up to 7.9in (200mm) – and flooding is likely.
Anyone planning to travel in these areas is advised to check the flood risk for their journey and not to attempt to drive through flood water.
Craig Woolhouse, the EA’s director of incident management, said the agency advised people to check the risk of flooding in their area
Two 24ft-long pumps, capable of pumping 120,000 litres of floodwater per minute, have been sent to Cumbria from a depot in the South West.
This latest band of severe weather to hit the UK comes after Storm Abigail which left more than 20,000 homes without power and schools closed.
The Highlands and Islands were worst hit by 84mph gusts while the rest of the UK saw thundery showers as a result of Britain’s first named storm.
The bad weather has also had an adverse effect in Glasgow, where the city’s annual Christmas lights switch-on event this weekend was cancelled.
Cumbria was hit by severe floods in 2009. During those incidents, Pc Bill Barker, 44, died after the bridge he was standing on collapsed in Workington.
Meanwhile bookmaker Coral is offering 7-1 that this November will be the wettest ever, and giving 1-2 on snow falling this weekend.
A spokesman said: ‘Storm Abigail has sparked a flood of bets on November being a miserable month of rain, wind, and snow.’
Courtesy of dailymail.co.uk
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