Bad weather batters Britain

A major rescue operation has been underway in the north of England yesterday after Cumbria was whipped with torrential rainfall that has flooded much of the area. Members of the RAF and the Fire Service were trying to rescue up to 200 people after they became trapped by rising water levels in their own homes. It evidentially became so bad that some of those stuck had to break through the roofs of their homes just to escape the rising waters.

At the scene were five RAF Sea King helicopters that were rescuing people all the time from the tops of homes and other precarious places. Police said that water levels on some streets reached over eight feet. Life boat crews were drafted in to assist with the rescue operation and one commented about how all he could hear was requests for helicopter extractions.

Mountain Rescue was also on hand to help with evacuating people from the towns of Cockermouth, Kendall, Burneside and Keswick as the rains continued to rage. Bridges in the area had started to collapse under the pressure of the flood water and many rivers burst their banks. More rain is expected in the area in the next 24 hours and the Environment Agency has issued severe flood warning for the north of England and also in parts of Wales.

Ireland does not appear to be faring much better in the weather stakes with County Fermanagh having had 32 days of continuous rain which has led to the dam rising to its highest levels and many rivers in the area bursting their banks causing wide spread flood damage to much of the county.