Heavy rains hit flooded Cumbria
Heavy rains hit flooded Cumbria
Also In The News
|
Peaceville Records, out now. |  |
Tuesday, 24, Nov 2009 01:23
By Sarah Garrod.
Residents in Cumbria are experiencing more heavy rain today following severe flooding in the region over the last week.
Meanwhile police in Wales have confirmed a body has been found in the search for a 21-year-old woman who went missing in the River Usk in Brecon following rising water levels.
It is reported the woman, named locally as Kirsty Jones, disappeared near a river bridge on Saturday night. Officers have urged the public to stay away from the water's edge amid fears that others could be swept away.
In Cumbria heavy rain has continued to fall, days after record-breaking levels were dumped throughout the county. Roads, bridges and schools are still closed in the region.
At 09:10 GMT the Environment Agency had 17 areas of the country on flood warning, including ten in the north-west and five in Wales, with 75 other areas on flood watch.
Up to 10cm of rain is forecast over high ground today, although the rising water levels are not expected to reach the heights they did last week, which saw large areas in and around Cockermouth under water.
The Met Office warned the heavy rains could exacerbate the problem, with the heaviest rain due to fall over Cumbria, Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders.
The weather service added that the rain will be accompanied by west to south-westerly gales with gusts to 65 mph possible at times.
Paul Davies, chief hydrometeorologist for the Met Office and the Environment Agency, said: "There will be persistent heavy rainfall in Cumbria on Tuesday. However, we are not expecting the same volumes of rainfall as last week and do not expect there to be the same widespread property flooding.
"We are concerned about the ongoing risk to infrastructure, particularly bridges, and the possible risk to life in the area as the river flows increase.
"We will continue to monitor the situation closely over the next 24-hours and will issue flood warnings if we expect the risk of further property flooding."
Elsewhere in the country, river levels on the River Severn are being closely monitored and the Environment Agency has deployed temporary defences to protect properties in Shrewsbury and Bewdley.