UK leader visits flood-hit northern England, Scotland

The extreme weather has claimed three lives.

“With more bad weather forecast for later in the week, they are working alongside the police, fire and rescue services and the Environment Agency, to ensure the safety of residents and businesses, shore up flood defences to protect homes and premises, and are drawing up plans to repair gullies and fix damaged infrastructure such as roads and bridges”.

Police in Cumbria county declared a “major incident” after the storm hit, and weather warnings were issued for the rest of the week.

The Prime Minister David Cameron has said that a multi-million pound flood defence scheme built in Cumbria following a similar deluge in 2005 was “not enough” to keep the waters at bay.

A body thought to be that of an elderly man was discovered in the swollen River Kent in Cumbria, while Irish police recovered the body of Ivan Vaughan, 70, in Co Monaghan.

However around 1,000 properties are still without electricity in Cumbria.

Mark Williamson, operations director for Electricity North West, said: “Unfortunately power was lost to customers in Lancaster and the surrounding areas this evening due to unforeseen flood damage at our substation.

Further generators will be mobilised tonight and all generators will be refuelled when required”.

Some 45 severe flood warnings are in place.

Schools were closed and hospital services remain suspended in the area.

There are no trains running between England and Scotland via Preston, and roads have closed in the worst-affected areas.

Prime Minister David Cameron will chair a meeting of the Cobra national emergency committee later today to coordinate the response to the crisis.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused the Government of making “yet another false promise” on flood defence spending.

He said the crew are very experienced in dealing with such situations.

“But this has proved to be yet another false promise”.

Environment Secretary Liz Truss insisted that, despite the severe cuts, the Government had spent more on flooding in real terms.

However rivers are not expected to return to levels reached last weekend.

Some in the northwest criticised flood defences, but Environment Agency chief executive James Bevan described the rainfall as an “unprecedented event”.

The government also recognises the important work by local charities in helping respond to the floods and will match the money raised in by the Cumbria Foundation’s Flood Appeal up to 1 million.

The fourth Met Office-named storm of the season brought record rainfall totals to much of the North West, with widespread amounts between 180 and 200 mm (7 and 8 inches) across the Lakes.

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Councillor John McCreesh, Cumbria County Council Cabinet member responsible for Trading Standards, said: “The contribution of local communities has been both vital and outstanding, it’s a shame now that some individuals may look to take advantage of those affected.

We suffered last time and we’re suffering again and who’s to say it’s not going to happen in a month’s time”.