Topic: Major Rescue Operation To Save Flood Victims
uk1971's photo
Fri 11/20/09 02:06 AM



http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20091120/tuk-major-rescue-operation-to-save-flood-45dbed5.html




Major Rescue Operation To Save Flood Victims in England



Scores of people trapped in their homes by flood waters have been rescued by the emergency services after torrential rain caused rivers to burst their banks.
Floods cause devastation in Cumbria

Evacuations underway as floods hit towns

Worst hit was Cumbria where more than 200 people had to flee their homes and take shelter overnight in emergency shelters.

A police officer has been reported missing after the Northside Bridge in Workington collapsed.

The Environment Agency says hundreds of properties in Cumbria have been flooded with the towns of Cockermouth and Keswick worst affected.

RAF helicopters airlifted at least 50 people from buildings in Cockermouth, where police said around 960 homes were at risk of flooding.

Dozens of others were helped to safety by the RNLI, the coastguard, police, fire and rescue and mountain rescue teams.

Sky weather presenter Isobel Lang said the village of Seathwaite in Cumbria recorded a massive 12.5in of rain in 24 hours.

She said the weather has now cleared but more rain from the south is expected on Saturday - up to two inches.

Flooding has also been reported in north-west Wales and in Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland.

Water levels rose to almost 8ft on the worst affected streets in Cockermouth and two bridges in the area collapsed, police said.

Homes in the lower lying part of Keswick were evacuated after the River Greta burst its banks yesterday morning, rising to about 5ft (1.5m) higher than normal.

Fire crews were called in from surrounding towns to help pump water out of flooded homes and get trapped householders out.

By the early hours flood water levels in Cockermouth and Keswick had stopped rising, allowing rescuers to reach people trapped in their homes by boat.

Previously swirling currents and debris in the water had prevented boats being deployed.

Cumbria Police said residents were being moved to a reception centre at Cockermouth Secondary School.

United Utilities said around 1,145 homes had lost their electricity in the Cockermouth area as well as 349 in nearby Keswick.

Supplies were restored to several hundred homes later.

John Carlin, owner of the Allerdale Court Hotel in Cockermouth, said the amount of rainfall to hit the area was "staggering".

He said: "I have lived here for 15 years and have never seen anything like it.

"It's desperate. The town centre is completely flooded, the only people out there at the moment are the emergency services.

"The water is up to the waists of the firefighters."

The flooding came as storms battered parts of northern England, north-west Wales and western Scotland.

The Environment Agency currently has six severe flood warnings in Cumbria, in Cockermouth, Keswick, Southwaite Bridge and Eamont Bridge plus two in Burneside.

There are 10 severe flood warnings in place in Scotland, nine flood warnings and 14 flood watches.

Elsewhere, there are 29 flood warnings in the Midlands, Wales and north-east and north-west England, plus a further 65 less serious flood watches.

Sky weather presenter Francis Wilson said: "The last 24 hours has been a record rainfall event in England. The previous one was in 1955 in Dorset.

"It's been particularly nasty for Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway, and combined with 70mph winds it's been dreadful for coastal parts there.

"The rain will clear on Friday - being dry and bright - but on Saturday it'll return to those flooded areas again."


One description said that "These were floods on a biblical proportion


Prayers and well wishes to all those involved in this crisis.

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BonnyMiss's photo
Sat 11/21/09 04:58 AM



This is pretty scarey, I am indoors listening to the wind batter the rooof and windows!!

uk1971's photo
Wed 11/25/09 06:41 AM
Isn't it strange, that when natural disasters happen elsewhere, Everybody jumps in to say that the are upset and send their condolences, well wishes and prayers to those involved in these matters?
Yet, when it happens to someone closer to home........ NOTHING !!!!

ohwell

Quietman_2009's photo
Wed 11/25/09 07:19 AM
I was just reading about that. first I had heard of it. I wonder why its not on the news

msharmony's photo
Wed 11/25/09 07:21 AM
Blame the victim psychology , I think they call it.

uk1971's photo
Wed 11/25/09 08:58 AM
Edited by uk1971 on Wed 11/25/09 09:00 AM

I was just reading about that. first I had heard of it. I wonder why its not on the news



Guess that my country is seen as an insignificant nation where natural disasters are concerned.

ohwell