19th - 20th November - Serious Floods in Britain and Ireland

The flooding in Cumbria has been even worse than I anticipated, with unconfirmed reports of around 340mm of rain falling at one location with a 48 hour period - if correct this will be the highest recorded 48 hour rainfall event in the UK, easily beating the 306mm that fell at Kinlochhourn in the West Highlands on the 5th/6th February 1989. It's also possible the UK's 24 hour rainfall record may have been broken. Confirmed totals won't be known for a while yet though.

Update: Seathwaite is reported as having recorded 314mm rain in a 24 hour period.

I've decided to collate all news stories and related links into this one blog entry to make it easier for future reference. So to start with, this was originally posted yesterday:

19th November 2009


First an update of stories relating to the on-going serious flooding across many parts of Britain:

Yesterday there were schools closed and another nightmare commute in West Yorkshire and in Bury, a woman rescued from car as severe flooding hits Borough.

In North Wales there was chaos as Conwy Valley is cut off by floods while in Shrewsbury - which receives a lot of the rain that falls on Mid Wales - there's a flood warning for parts of town

Today, in Cumbria: alert as flood risk increases and there are also flood warnings after heavy rain across southern Scotland.

Cumbria hit first and hardest as flood warnings spread across Britain

Wales braced for more winds, floods, and possibly a tornado

Useful webcams:

Langdale

Borrowdale School

Appleby

Dumfries

Met Office Press Release issued 19 Nov: Extreme weather batters north-west Britain

20th November 2009

Overnight a serious event occurred at Cockermouth in Cumbria:

Cumbrian Flooding: residents disbelief at scale of floods

Eyewitness accounts (from the BBC)

Cumbria deluge described as historic event


Missing policeman feared dead, ten more people missing

So far three bridges have collapsed

And on a slightly lighter note Jennings brewery in Cockermouth hit by flooding - but fortunately deliveries shouldn't be affected.

Yesterday, Ambleside cut off by rising waters - I suspect there are a lot of people in the valleys also in dire predicament at the moment.

More generally across the NW of England and Southern Scotland flooding causes traffic chaos

In Scotland: evacuation alert after torrential rain brings chaos with flooding concern after heavy rain (bit of an understatement!)

Wales has also had more rain leading to a warning over rising river levels

Eire has also been badly hit with families trapped by flooding and more rain on the way with Galway hit by four times normal rainfall for time of year and Carrick-on-Shannon town risks being cut off by flooding all of which leaves the Nation facing huge bill for flood damage.

More rain is expected for all flood hit areas on Saturday.

I will update further news stories and reports as they break

Aerial footage of Cockermouth and Workington area from the BBC helicopter

Further news updates:

Lothians on flood alert after heavy rain causes disruption

Policeman missing in 'biblical' deluge named as PC Bill Barker - our thoughts go out to his family, friends and colleagues.

Body found in search for policeman missing in floods May I be the first to suggest that when the bridge is rebuilt it is renamed the Bill Barker bridge?

Tributes paid to flood death PC

Floods hit Cork
- Ireland's second city 'cut off'

Latest Met Office press release: Recent heavy rain over north-west Britain

21st November


In Cumbria: Flood chaos: 'for some people everything has gone'

Cumbria flood areas braced for more rain

In Scotland: flood warnings extended after more rain forecast

In Ireland: many areas still under flood water

Fermanagh suffers worst ever flooding

In Wales: flood risk with new rain warning

22nd November

Flood town of Workington is cut in town as bridges collapse

Flood claims in Cumbria and Scotland could top £100m

In Wales, search for woman missing in river Usk, Powys

And in Ireland, Martin calls for all hands on deck amid flood chaos

23rd November

Soldiers drafted in as more rain threatens to bring misery

Cumbria flood bridges facing safety checks


Martinstown's sympathy for Cockermouth - Seathwaite recieved 314mm within a 24 hour periods, although Martinstown does still retain the record for the highest 24 hour rainfall recorded during the standard period of 09.00am to 09.00am.

24th November

In Cumbria, Flood victims view devastation

Can you stop bridges collapsing in floods?
is an interesting BBC magazine article on why so many bridges suffered damage in Cumbria last week.

The railway bridge into Workington did survive and I'm please to see some common sense prevailing here as NR to build a temporary station to help Workington flood victims

In N Ireland: 'We are sleepwalking into a major flooding disaster' whilst in the Republic, Taoiseach Cowen announces flood aid for worst hit.

Met office press release: Heavy rain and gales 18-20 November 2009

25th November

In Enniskillen work continues to combat floods whilst elsewhere in Fermanagh, stranded pensioner 'living on an island'

Meanwhile Cumbria escapes fresh flooding but remains on alert

2 missing bodies recovered from Welsh rivers

30th November

A final update:

In Fermanagh, stranded woman rescued from flood

Funeral for Cumbria floods police officer

Flood alert continues as Shannon rises

In Wales, rail line to reopen after floods

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