2009 Great Britain and Ireland floods
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Great Britain and Ireland floods was a weather event that affected parts of Great Britain
and Ireland
throughout November and into December 2009. November was the wettest month across the United Kingdom since records began in 1914 and was well above average temperatures. The worst affected area in Great Britain was the English
county of Cumbria
. The Irish counties of Clare
, Cork
, Galway
and Westmeath
were among the worst affected areas of Ireland.
European windstorm
s bringing heavy rain and gale force winds caused damage and flooding to the south of Great Britain on 13–14 November. Unsettled weather continued across the south and later to the north. On 19–20 November, many towns and villages in Cumbria
and Dumfries and Galloway
were affected. A number of bridges collapsed, one of which led to the death of a police officer, who was standing on the bridge when it collapsed. Another death occurred on 21 November as a canoeist was trapped against a tree near Poundsgate
, on Dartmoor
in Devon
. In Powys
, there were two deaths, at Newtown and Talybont-on-Usk
.
Among the many places severely flooded was the Republic of Ireland's second largest city, Cork
. For more than ten days, 40 per cent of its population were without running water after a treatment plant was affected by several metres of flood water. University College Cork was damaged and at least a week of lectures was cancelled. Courts were also disrupted, with some eventually being moved to a hotel. At the time, Taoiseach
Brian Cowen
described the situation in Ireland as an "ongoing emergency" that was going to get worse.
s affecting the United Kingdom on 13 November, unsettled weather had been affecting all of the United Kingdom since 12 November.
On 13 November an area of low pressure developed to the south-west of Ireland
. It moved north-eastwards across the Irish Sea
and west Scotland on 14 November. Weather fronts bringing heavy rain swept across the west and south of the United Kingdom. 30 millimetres (1.2 in) of rainfall in three hours was recorded in some parts of Sussex
and Hampshire
. The wind, coming from the south, reached gale to severe gale strength on 13 November; gusting between 65 miles per hour (29.1 m/s) and 75 miles per hour (33.5 m/s) in some areas. On 14 November, strong winds and showers affected southern Great Britain, with winds gusting up to 50 miles per hour (22.4 m/s) and 90 miles per hour (40.2 m/s) on the coast. A tornado
was reported to have occurred in the east of England on 14 November.
Over the night of 19–20 November 2009, a forecast depression tracked northwest over Ireland
, the Isle of Man
, Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway. Rainfall in a 24-hour period was recorded at 71.6 millimetres (2.8 in) at Shap
and 64.2 millimetres (2.5 in) at Keswick
. At Seathwaite Farm, Borrowdale
, rainfall was recorded at 314.4 millimetres (12.4 in) in a 24-hour period which the Met Office
state is provisionally a UK record for any single location. At Penrith
a multi-agency co-ordination centre was established. The floods were described as "the worst in 55 years". The Met Office reported that at Eskdalemuir
, the amount of rainfall recorded in a 24-hour period exceeded the previous record set in 1931.
Heavy rain across Devon
on 21 November caused the River Dart
on Dartmoor
to swell. A group of canoeists on the river were treated for hypothermia
and one of the members died after being trapped against a tree at Poundsgate
.
In Scotland on the 1st of November, Angus and Aberdeenshire were badly hit by flooding, causing transport disruption, burst pipes and the evacuation of hundreds of homes. The coastal town of Arbroath was one of the worst affected, being virtually cut off by severe flooding
In Northern Ireland, villages near the County Tyrone
-County Londonderry
border were hit by heavy rainfall the night of 4 November causing several families to be evacuated, and more than a dozen homes flooded.
Sligo
was heavily flooded on 9 November. Passage West
in County Cork
was subjected to a thirty-minute flash flood on 12 November, causing an estimated €100,000 worth of damage and wrecking ten cars and several homes.
and Cornwall
. The gale-force winds across the counties brought down trees, branches, power cables and roofs. Local authorities and the Highways Agency
were strained in maintaining traffic flow. Dorset
reported coastal flooding as severe gales occurred during high tide
. Some residents across the Welsh
counties of Pembrokeshire
and Carmarthenshire
were rescued by Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
. Flooding was widespread in the Conwy Valley, with homes in Betws-y-Coed
, Llanrwst
and nearby villages affected. Twelve people were rescued from a coach trapped in floodwater at Haverfordwest
.
The Environment Agency
issued 110 flood warnings prior to the storm reaching Great Britain on 13–14 November. Peak gusts reached 100 miles per hour (44.7 m/s) at The Needles
lighthouse, Isle of Wight
. A tornado developed in Benfleet, Essex
, damaging 60 homes. Another tornado in Lowestoft
, Suffolk
brought down a tree trapping a woman in a car. In Haywards Heath
, West Sussex
, people were rescued from units on an industrial estate which was 60 centimetres (2 ft) deep in water.
, firefighter
s had to rescue schoolchildren trapped in a bus stranded by floodwater at Sawley
, and flooding occurred in Barnoldswick
, Blackburn, Burnley
and Rossendale
. Workers at Kippax Mill in Crawshawbooth
were evacuated when the building was hit by a landslide as the hill collapsed under the weight of water.
Many properties were flooded in Ambleside
, leaving the main road impassable for most vehicles. Over 200 people in Cockermouth
were rescued from their homes by the emergency services. About 75 people were accommodated overnight in Cockermouth School and the Shepherds Hotel (known locally as the Sheep & Wool Centre). Search and rescue
helicopter
s from RAF Valley
, RAF Boulmer
and RAF Leconfield
rescued approximately 50 people, with the remainder being rescued by boat, particularly by the RNLI
, and HM Coastguard. A Coastguard helicopter was deployed to the area from Stornoway
to supplement the military SAR assets. Water levels in the town centre were reported to be as high as 2.5 metre, resulting in the collapse of Lorton Bridge, and over 1,200 properties losing their electricity supply. Coniston Water
burst its banks and submerged roads, fields and local premises. Electricity supply was lost to 349 properties in Keswick
. About 50 people were accommodated overnight in Keswick's Convention Centre, as well as the Skiddaw Hotel and St Joseph's School. Several homes were also flooded in the town after the River Greta burst its banks, rising 1.5 metre above normal.
In south Ulverston
, a number of residents had to be evacuated – around 80 homes were flooded on North Lonsdale Road and the surrounding areas – with many accommodated at Ulverston Victoria High School
. A number of A roads
in the surrounding area had to be closed off and some train services were disrupted.
In Workington
, the Northside Bridge over the River Derwent
collapsed. The bridge carried the A597, its collapse cut off supplies of gas to the town. Bill Barker
, a police constable, died in the bridge collapse, following a called off lifeboat
search. The replacement for Northside Bridge is scheduled to be built in 2012.
The Southwaite Footbridge, on the trackbed of the dismantled Cockermouth and Workington Railway
, also collapsed.
The bridge over the River Cocker in Low Lorton was also destroyed. Its replacement opened on Monday 31 January.
On Windermere
, England
's largest natural lake
, located in the Lake District
, approximately 20 boats sank due to the floods. The boats were all moored to a fixed pier, and could not rise with the rising water.
Also in Workington, Calva Bridge was reported on 22 November to have dropped by about 300 millimetre (0.984251968503937 ft). Police warned that it could collapse too. The bridge was later condemned, leaving residents in Northside a 40 miles (64.4 km) journey to get into Workington. Calva bridge had been built in 1841 by Thomas Milton. It was designed by Thomas Nelson. The bridge is a Grade II listed building. Although badly damaged, it was decided that the bridge could be repaired, as work carried out in 2005 to waterproof the deck had strengthened the bridge too. The contract for the repair work was awarded jointly to Balfour Beatty
and Mouchel
. Engineers warned that there was a 50% chance that the bridge could collapse during repairs. Two-thirds of the central pier's foundations had been washed away during the flood.
The Dock Bridge, which carries the railway line linking Workington Docks and the steelworks was badly damaged. Photographs show that at least one of the concrete trestle
s has been washed away, dislodging the rails on the bridge.
Newlands Beck Bridge, Braithwaite
, near Keswick collapsed, as did Camerton
Footbridge near Workington. A suspension footbridge
over the River Eamont
at Dalemain also collapsed.
The Whitesands area of Dumfries
was affected by flooding when the River Nith
burst its banks. Five people were rescued by firefighters, and another two were rescued by boat from a stranded car. In the Scottish Borders
several homes were flooded in Ettrick
and Yarrow.
Weather forecasters have now predicted some more wet and windy weather over parts of Cumbria
, Lothian and Borders
, and other parts of southern Scotland
.
In Wales
, a woman was reported missing in Brecon
on 21 November, having apparently fallen into the River Usk
after crossing a bridge which had a 1.83 metres (6 ft) gap in the railings. Dyfed-Powys Police
and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
started a search which was called off overnight. It was resumed the next morning. A body was recovered from the River Usk at Talybont-on-Usk
on 24 November. At Newtown, Powys, the body of a pensioner was found on the banks of the River Severn
on 23 November. She had been reported missing on 21 November.
In Shropshire flood defences were deployed along the Severn Valley and some minor roads were closed due to flooding.
, there were power cuts in Ballaragh and Laxey
but Manx Electricity restored power to all affected properties by the afternoon.
; a family of five were winched to safety by helicopter in County Galway
, and damage was caused to the Lake Hotel at Killarney
in County Kerry
. About 40 families at Ballinasloe in County Galway had to be evacuated by boat after the River Suck
burst its banks. The centre of Cork
was flooded by the River Lee
to a depth of 1 metre, and the nearby towns of Bandon
, Clonakilty
, Dunmanway
and Skibbereen
were inaccessible. University College Cork sustained widespread damage, prompting it to cancel all lectures for at least one week.
Thousands of homes across the country were left with boiled-water notices, and over 40,000 homes were left without any water supply. In Cork City, over 18,000 homes on the city's north and inner south-sides were left without water for up to ten days. This was as a result of flood damage to the city's water treatment plant. The Irish Army
was deployed to deal with rising floodwaters at Ennis
, County Clare
and Clonmel
, County Tipperary
. Electricity supplies were cut off in Bandon, Cork and east County Galway. The house of one old lady in Athlone was even reported to have been the victim of flooding. A lorry driver had to be lifted from his vehicle in County Roscommon
after it became struck in water beneath a bridge.
The floods affected a nationwide pre-planned strike action, with members of trade unions SIPTU
, IMPACT
and the TEEU postponing the unrest it had scheduled for County Cork
, County Clare
and County Galway
on 24 November so that they could assist with giving as much relief as possible.
In Northern Ireland
, the low-lying areas around the River Bann
in County Armagh
as well as the Strabane
, Ards, Cookstown
, Lisburn
and Magherafelt
districts were affected by flooding. County Fermanagh
sustained the worst levels of flooding, with water levels on Lough Erne
at their highest since first being recorded in 1956, owing to 35 consecutive days of rain. The floods affected many areas close to the shore of the lough including Lisnaskea
and the county town
, Enniskillen
.
came to light at this time when water levels at the town's lock reached around 50 centimetres above the previous record water level, six of these centimetres occurring during one night. Farms and housing estates were isolated, with the west side experiencing some of the worst flooding and a school being forced to close for several days. Some residents were cautiously evacuated from Limerick's Ardnacrusha
district and eight homes were evacuated in Clonlara
, County Clare
. Farmland between Ballina
and Foxford
in County Mayo
was flooded. Waterways Ireland
claimed on 25 November that the water level of the River Shannon
(Ireland's largest river) had become "unmanageable", with 33 per cent of the usual annual rain dropping in November alone.
The water level of Lough Derg had broken all previous records by 26 November. This caused the purposeful release of more water downstream which subsequently flooded these areas by around 10 more centimetres of water. Further evacuations took place in County Clare and the city of Limerick. The Irish Army
continued to patrol Ennis
. Waters continued to rise in County Galway as well at this time.
On 28–29 November torrential downpours and heavy winds spread across Devon
and Cornwall
, causing flooding and damage. Four people were rescued by firefighters from cars across Devon. Street-water levels reached 4 feet (1.2 m) near Exeter
and 3 foot (0.9144 m) near Sparkwell
. Properties were flooded across the City of Plymouth
and Ivybridge
. Winds brought down an electricity pole in Millbrook, Cornwall
.
Ireland's flooding shifted to the east of the country on 29 November. Dublin's River Liffey
burst its banks on 29 November , flooding several areas. Towns in County Kildare
which were near the Liffey, were damaged by floods, including Ballymore Eustace
, Kilcullen
, Newbridge
, Clane
, Celbridge
, Naas
and Leixlip
. A Clane nursing home was evacuated.
Courts scheduled for Cork and Skibbereen
were adjourned for several days due to flooded courthouses. Circuit court cases scheduled for Cork were moved to a hotel and High Court cases were moved to Clonmel
.
from which 104 families were subjected to an emergency evacuation. The River Liffey was still impassable at Strawberry Beds.
On 1 December, there was more torrential rain in the west, with drinking water supplies to 6,000 buildings in Galway reported to have been contaminated by human faeces and water undrinkable in more than 500 homes in Clare and Limerick.
On 2 December, thousands of acres of Irish farmland remained underwater, floodwaters were still rising in some Galway villages and roads in Clare and Galway were still impassable.
through Wales and England was closed at Chepstow
after heavy rain caused a rockslide on 13 November. Several roads across Cornwall
were flooded under 60 centimetres (23.6 in) of water. The Tamar Bridge
connecting Devon
and Cornwall was closed to bicycles, motorbikes and high-sided vehicles. Ferries between England
and France
were cancelled during the storm and the Port of Dover
was closed during part of 14 November.
were temporarily suspended after a landslip between Carlisle
and Penrith
. Services resumed by midday on 20 November.
Services between Glasgow and Dunblane
were suspended. The West Coast Main Line was flooded between Carlisle
and Carstairs
and was closed as a result. Services were reduced between Edinburgh
and Glasgow
and also Edinburgh and Dunblane.
The Cambrian Line
was closed between Newtown, Powys and Machynlleth
as a result of severe flooding on the River Dyfi
. Replacement buses were provided by the service's operator, Arriva Trains Wales
.
In the Republic of Ireland
, Iarnród Éireann
rail services were suspended between Galway
and Athlone
; Limerick
and Ennis
; Carrick-on-Shannon
and Longford
; Dublin
and Maynooth
; and Wicklow
and Gorey
.
On 18 November, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company cancelled the morning ferry service from Douglas
to Heysham
and consequently the return service was also cancelled. The first service from Heysham was cancelled on 19 November. Services resumed with the 08:45 sailing from Douglas to Heysham.
In Kent
, ferry services from Dover
were affected by strong winds on 18 November. Services operated by LD Lines
, Norfolkline
, P&O Ferries
and Seafrance
were subject to delay. Kent Police
implemented phase one of Operation Stack
, using the M20
to park lorries on until they could be accommodated on a ferry.
On 21 November, Irish Ferries cancelled all sailings due to have been performed by HSC Jonathan Swift
on the Dublin - Holyhead
route. Passengers were accommodated on .
In Workington
, the collapse of Northside Bridge carrying the A597 road and the condemnation of Calva Bridge carrying the A596 resulted in a 40 miles (64.4 km) journey from Northside to the town centre. Network Rail
constructed a temporary railway station, Workington North
, to help Northside residents get into and out of town. The Royal Engineers
from 170 (Infrastructure Support) and 3 Armoured Engineer Squadron are to install a temporary footbridge upstream of Calva Bridge, scheduled to open on 5 December 2009.
In County Fermanagh
, high water levels on Lough Erne
resulted in the closure of most bridges that link the east and west sides of the county. Diverted traffic was thus forced to pass through the county town
of Enniskillen
, itself sited on an island in the lough, causing major delays. Away from the lough, the town of Lisnaskea
as well as the villages of Derrylin
and Boho also saw severe flooding, resulting in several road closures.
leading to the diversion of ten Aer Lingus
, Delta Air Lines
, Etihad Airways
and Ryanair
aircraft—seven aircraft to Shannon Airport
and three aircraft to Manchester Airport. Some of the affected aircraft were transatlantic flights from destinations such as Chicago
and New York
.
racecourse on 25 November were cancelled because of waterlogging. A horse race scheduled for 28 November at Wexford
was cancelled four days earlier as the course was waterlogged. The Naas and Wexford events were rescheduled for 3 December and 7 December respectively.
Gordon Brown
visited Cumbria Police headquarters, near Penrith, to meet members of the emergency services before travelling to Cockermouth where he met people who had been evacuated from their homes. He pledged an additional £1,000,000 would be made available in aid for the affected areas when it was noted that the damages could well run into £50m to £100m mark. During his visit, Gordon Brown ordered checks to be made on all 1,800 bridges in Cumbria. It was feared that Calva Bridge in Workington would also collapse. Bridge inspections will be carried out by the Highways Agency
and the Department for Transport
.
Cockermouth
MP
Tony Cunningham
said that the buildings in Cockermouth may be broken, but the people were not. Following the death of the police officer, Cumbria Constabulary
stated that over 10,000 people had signed a tribute on its Facebook
page. The Queen
praised emergency workers for the support they had provided. The ABI
stated that the cost of the floods in Cumbria
and Scotland
could exceed £100,000,000.
In Ireland
, the Taoiseach
Brian Cowen
stated that the Government's priority was the provision of shelter and safe drinking water for those affected by the flooding. He chaired two sessions of the Emergency Response Co-Ordination Committee on the weekend following the outbreak of the floods.
Brian Cowen embarked on the first of his visits to Ireland's flood-affected areas on 23 November when he visited Clonmel
, Cork
, Ennis
and Ballinasloe. The Taoiseach, taking a further half-day trip around Galway, Offaly, Roscommon and Westmeath to inspect flood-affected regions on 26 November, was confronted by the angry residents of Athlone who said he was using their plight as a "publicity stunt". Cowen refused to visit some of the most badly flooded areas of Athlone despite being offered a pair of waders and even a rowing boat.
On 27 November, Prince Charles visited the areas of Cumbria affected by the flooding, where he expressed "nothing but the greatest possible sympathy" for the victims of the flooding.
On December 21, President
Mary McAleese
embarked on a two-day visit of flooded areas, praising the "utterly selfless" acts of those who were assisting.
, would be built on waste land leased for two years from Allerdale Council
. The station was scheduled to open by 28 November with services provided by Northern Rail
. Workington North opened on 30 November 2009.
Construction work began in late November on Barker Crossing
, a temporary footbridge, constructed by the British Army
's Corps of Royal Engineers
involving over two hundred soldiers. The bridge was expected to take ten days to complete. It was constructed to provide a link across the River Derwent
after the Northside Bridge collapsed and the Calva Bridge was condemned. The replacement bridge is 52 metres (170.6 ft) long, and weighs about 110 tonnes (108 LT). It was prefabricated at Halton Camp and was erected on-site in early December. The bridge was opened to pedestrians on 7 December 2009.
On 26 November, three vehicles were observed driving over the closed Calva Bridge, Workington. The bridge had been closed by the use of temporary barriers. As a result of the incident, more substantial barriers were installed to prevent vehicles accessing the bridge.
Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral of PC Bill Barker in Egremont
on 27 November 2009. Barker died after the collapse of a bridge in Workington
Cumbria
.
In December 2009, Tesco
built a new temporary store in north Workington. People living in that part of town were finding it difficult to access the main store, which lies south of the River Derwent.
, delivered by Minister for Finance
Brian Lenihan
on 9 December 2009, a further minimum amount of at least €70 million was put towards those affected by the floods and to the prevention of similar disasters in future.
The Irish Red Cross
stated that it expected to raise €1 million for survivors of the flooding and that it was starting to take applications for assistance from them on 12 December 2009. The organisation announced it had reached this total on 10 January 2010. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
had two warehouses in Galway
to collect aid for survivors. The Cork Flood Appeal Benefit Night was one fund-raising event which was held on 15 December 2009. Home Athlone was another event held on 21 December 2009.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
throughout November and into December 2009. November was the wettest month across the United Kingdom since records began in 1914 and was well above average temperatures. The worst affected area in Great Britain was the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
. The Irish counties of Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
and Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
were among the worst affected areas of Ireland.
European windstorm
European windstorm
A European windstorm is a severe cyclonic windstorm associated with areas of low atmospheric pressure that track across the North Atlantic towards northwestern Europe. They are most common in the winter months...
s bringing heavy rain and gale force winds caused damage and flooding to the south of Great Britain on 13–14 November. Unsettled weather continued across the south and later to the north. On 19–20 November, many towns and villages in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
and Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It was one of the nine administrative 'regions' of mainland Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government etc. Act 1973...
were affected. A number of bridges collapsed, one of which led to the death of a police officer, who was standing on the bridge when it collapsed. Another death occurred on 21 November as a canoeist was trapped against a tree near Poundsgate
Poundsgate
Poundsgate is a small village in Dartmoor, Devon, England, located on the road between Ashburton and Princetown.The postal area of "Poundsgate" is a wide geographical area. There are a few cottages clustered around a popular stopping point for travellers, the Tavistock Inn, which is thought to date...
, on Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. In Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
, there were two deaths, at Newtown and Talybont-on-Usk
Talybont-on-Usk
Talybont-on-Usk is a village and community in Powys, Wales. It lies on both the River Usk and the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, and in 2003 won the title of 'Powys Village of the Year'...
.
Among the many places severely flooded was the Republic of Ireland's second largest city, Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
. For more than ten days, 40 per cent of its population were without running water after a treatment plant was affected by several metres of flood water. University College Cork was damaged and at least a week of lectures was cancelled. Courts were also disrupted, with some eventually being moved to a hotel. At the time, Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...
described the situation in Ireland as an "ongoing emergency" that was going to get worse.
Event
Before the severe galeGale
A gale is a very strong wind. There are conflicting definitions of how strong a wind must be to be considered a gale. The U.S. government's National Weather Service defines a gale as 34–47 knots of sustained surface winds. Forecasters typically issue gale warnings when winds of this strength are...
s affecting the United Kingdom on 13 November, unsettled weather had been affecting all of the United Kingdom since 12 November.
On 13 November an area of low pressure developed to the south-west of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. It moved north-eastwards across the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
and west Scotland on 14 November. Weather fronts bringing heavy rain swept across the west and south of the United Kingdom. 30 millimetres (1.2 in) of rainfall in three hours was recorded in some parts of Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
and Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. The wind, coming from the south, reached gale to severe gale strength on 13 November; gusting between 65 miles per hour (29.1 m/s) and 75 miles per hour (33.5 m/s) in some areas. On 14 November, strong winds and showers affected southern Great Britain, with winds gusting up to 50 miles per hour (22.4 m/s) and 90 miles per hour (40.2 m/s) on the coast. A tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
was reported to have occurred in the east of England on 14 November.
Over the night of 19–20 November 2009, a forecast depression tracked northwest over Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
, Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway. Rainfall in a 24-hour period was recorded at 71.6 millimetres (2.8 in) at Shap
Shap
Shap is a linear village and civil parish located amongst fells and isolated dales in Eden district, Cumbria, England. The village lies along the A6 road and the West Coast Main Line, and is near to the M6 motorway...
and 64.2 millimetres (2.5 in) at Keswick
Keswick, Cumbria
Keswick is a market town and civil parish within the Borough of Allerdale in Cumbria, England. It had a population of 4,984, according to the 2001 census, and is situated just north of Derwent Water, and a short distance from Bassenthwaite Lake, both in the Lake District National Park...
. At Seathwaite Farm, Borrowdale
Borrowdale
Borrowdale is a valley and civil parish in the English Lake District in the Borough of Allerdale in Cumbria, England.Borrowdale lies within the historic county boundaries of Cumberland, and is sometimes referred to as Cumberland Borrowdale in order to distinguish it from another Borrowdale in the...
, rainfall was recorded at 314.4 millimetres (12.4 in) in a 24-hour period which the Met Office
Met Office
The Met Office , is the United Kingdom's national weather service, and a trading fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
state is provisionally a UK record for any single location. At Penrith
Penrith, Cumbria
Penrith was an urban district between 1894 and 1974, when it was merged into Eden District.The authority's area was coterminous with the civil parish of Penrith although when the council was abolished Penrith became an unparished area....
a multi-agency co-ordination centre was established. The floods were described as "the worst in 55 years". The Met Office reported that at Eskdalemuir
Eskdalemuir
-External links:*...
, the amount of rainfall recorded in a 24-hour period exceeded the previous record set in 1931.
Heavy rain across Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
on 21 November caused the River Dart
River Dart
The River Dart is a river in Devon, England which rises high on Dartmoor, and releases to the sea at Dartmouth. Its valley and surrounding area is a place of great natural beauty.-Watercourse:...
on Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
to swell. A group of canoeists on the river were treated for hypothermia
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
and one of the members died after being trapped against a tree at Poundsgate
Poundsgate
Poundsgate is a small village in Dartmoor, Devon, England, located on the road between Ashburton and Princetown.The postal area of "Poundsgate" is a wide geographical area. There are a few cottages clustered around a popular stopping point for travellers, the Tavistock Inn, which is thought to date...
.
1–12 November
The Met Office predicted that an area of low pressure would "explosively deepen close to the UK on Sunday 1 November," which resulted in heavy rain across the country. Thirteen people were rescued from homes and vehicles in more than 100 flooding incidents across Wales.In Scotland on the 1st of November, Angus and Aberdeenshire were badly hit by flooding, causing transport disruption, burst pipes and the evacuation of hundreds of homes. The coastal town of Arbroath was one of the worst affected, being virtually cut off by severe flooding
In Northern Ireland, villages near the County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
-County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
border were hit by heavy rainfall the night of 4 November causing several families to be evacuated, and more than a dozen homes flooded.
Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
was heavily flooded on 9 November. Passage West
Passage West
Passage West is a port town in County Cork, Ireland, situated on the west bank of Cork Harbour. It is some 10 km from Cork city, separated by the green belt from the urban sprawl of Douglas and Rochestown. The town has many services, amenities and social outlets...
in County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
was subjected to a thirty-minute flash flood on 12 November, causing an estimated €100,000 worth of damage and wrecking ten cars and several homes.
13–15 November
The area of low pressure affecting southern Great Britain on 13–14 November caused some surface water flooding and damage from gales. Surface water flooding affected DevonDevon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. The gale-force winds across the counties brought down trees, branches, power cables and roofs. Local authorities and the Highways Agency
Highways Agency
The Highways Agency is an executive agency, part of the Department for Transport in England. It has responsibility for managing the core road network in England...
were strained in maintaining traffic flow. Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
reported coastal flooding as severe gales occurred during high tide
High Tide
High Tide was a band formed in 1969 by Tony Hill , Simon House , Peter Pavli and Roger Hadden .-History:...
. Some residents across the Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
counties of Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
and Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
were rescued by Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
The Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is the fire and rescue service covering the Welsh principal areas of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, Powys and Swansea....
. Flooding was widespread in the Conwy Valley, with homes in Betws-y-Coed
Betws-y-Coed
Betws-y-Coed is a village and community in the Conwy valley in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It has a population of 534. The name Betws or Bettws is generally thought to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon Old English 'bed-hus' - i.e. a bead-house - a house of prayer, or oratory...
, Llanrwst
Llanrwst
Llanrwst is a small town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It takes its name from the 5th century to 6th century Saint Grwst, and the original parish church in Cae Llan was replaced by the 12th-century church....
and nearby villages affected. Twelve people were rescued from a coach trapped in floodwater at Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales and serves as the County's principal commercial and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire, with a population of 13,367 in 2001; though its community boundaries make it the second most populous...
.
The Environment Agency
Environment Agency
The Environment Agency is a British non-departmental public body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and an Assembly Government Sponsored Body of the Welsh Assembly Government that serves England and Wales.-Purpose:...
issued 110 flood warnings prior to the storm reaching Great Britain on 13–14 November. Peak gusts reached 100 miles per hour (44.7 m/s) at The Needles
The Needles
The Needles is a row of three distinctive stacks of chalk that rise out of the sea off the western extremity of the Isle of Wight, England, close to Alum Bay. The Needles lighthouse stands at the end of the formation...
lighthouse, Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
. A tornado developed in Benfleet, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, damaging 60 homes. Another tornado in Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
brought down a tree trapping a woman in a car. In Haywards Heath
Haywards Heath
-Climate:Haywards Heath experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Rail:Haywards Heath railway station is a major station on the Brighton Main Line...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, people were rescued from units on an industrial estate which was 60 centimetres (2 ft) deep in water.
Great Britain
In LancashireLancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s had to rescue schoolchildren trapped in a bus stranded by floodwater at Sawley
Sawley, Lancashire
Sawley is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is situated north-east of Clitheroe, on the River Ribble. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire....
, and flooding occurred in Barnoldswick
Barnoldswick
Barnoldswick is a town and civil parish within the West Craven area of the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England just outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is built in the shadow of Weets Hill, and Stock Beck, a...
, Blackburn, Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
and Rossendale
Rossendale
Rossendale is a local government district with borough status. It is made up of a number of small former mill towns in Lancashire, England centered around the valley of the River Irwell in the industrial North West...
. Workers at Kippax Mill in Crawshawbooth
Crawshawbooth
Crawshawbooth is a small village on the edge of the Pennine Hills in England just north of the market town of Rawtenstall, Lancashire, and just south of Loveclough. It is part of the valley of Rossendale, an ancient royal hunting ground...
were evacuated when the building was hit by a landslide as the hill collapsed under the weight of water.
Many properties were flooded in Ambleside
Ambleside
Ambleside is a town in Cumbria, in North West England.Historically within the county of Westmorland, it is situated at the head of Windermere, England's largest lake...
, leaving the main road impassable for most vehicles. Over 200 people in Cockermouth
Cockermouth
-History:The Romans created a fort at Derventio, now the adjoining village of Papcastle, to protect the river crossing, which had become located on a major route for troops heading towards Hadrian's Wall....
were rescued from their homes by the emergency services. About 75 people were accommodated overnight in Cockermouth School and the Shepherds Hotel (known locally as the Sheep & Wool Centre). Search and rescue
RAF Search and Rescue Force
The RAF Search and Rescue Force is the Royal Air Force organisation which provides around-the-clock aeronautical search and rescue cover in the United Kingdom, Cyprus and the Falkland Islands.-History:...
helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s from RAF Valley
RAF Valley
RAF Valley is a Royal Air Force station on the island of Anglesey, Wales, and which is also used as Anglesey Airport. It provides fast-jet training using the BAE Hawk and provides training for aircrew working with Search and Rescue. Unofficially the motto for RAF Valley is 'One Valley, Training...
, RAF Boulmer
RAF Boulmer
RAF Boulmer is a Royal Air Force station near Alnwick in Northumberland and is currently home to Aerospace Surveillance and Control System Force Command, Control and Reporting Centre Boulmer, the School of Aerospace Battle Management, No...
and RAF Leconfield
RAF Leconfield
The former RAF Leconfield, or 'Leconfield Camp' was a Royal Air Force airbase in Leconfield , East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The site is now used by the MoD Defence School of Transport Leconfield .-History:...
rescued approximately 50 people, with the remainder being rescued by boat, particularly by the RNLI
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
, and HM Coastguard. A Coastguard helicopter was deployed to the area from Stornoway
Stornoway
Stornoway is a burgh on the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.The town's population is around 9,000, making it the largest settlement in the Western Isles and the third largest town in the Scottish Highlands after Inverness and Fort William...
to supplement the military SAR assets. Water levels in the town centre were reported to be as high as 2.5 metre, resulting in the collapse of Lorton Bridge, and over 1,200 properties losing their electricity supply. Coniston Water
Coniston Water
Coniston Water in Cumbria, England is the third largest lake in the English Lake District. It is five miles long, half a mile wide, has a maximum depth of 184 feet , and covers an area of . The lake has an elevation of 143 feet above sea level...
burst its banks and submerged roads, fields and local premises. Electricity supply was lost to 349 properties in Keswick
Keswick, Cumbria
Keswick is a market town and civil parish within the Borough of Allerdale in Cumbria, England. It had a population of 4,984, according to the 2001 census, and is situated just north of Derwent Water, and a short distance from Bassenthwaite Lake, both in the Lake District National Park...
. About 50 people were accommodated overnight in Keswick's Convention Centre, as well as the Skiddaw Hotel and St Joseph's School. Several homes were also flooded in the town after the River Greta burst its banks, rising 1.5 metre above normal.
In south Ulverston
Ulverston
Ulverston is a market town and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria in north-west England. Historically part of Lancashire, the town is located in the Furness area, close to the Lake District, and just north of Morecambe Bay....
, a number of residents had to be evacuated – around 80 homes were flooded on North Lonsdale Road and the surrounding areas – with many accommodated at Ulverston Victoria High School
Ulverston Victoria High School
Ulverston Victoria High School is a Mathematics and Computing Specialist school in the town of Ulverston, Cumbria, Northern England.-Ofsted:...
. A number of A roads
Great Britain road numbering scheme
The Great Britain road numbering scheme is a numbering scheme used to classify and identify all roads in Great Britain. Each road is given a single letter, which represents the road's category, and a subsequent number, with a length of between 1 and 4 digits. Originally introduced to arrange...
in the surrounding area had to be closed off and some train services were disrupted.
In Workington
Workington
Workington is a town, civil parish and port on the west coast of Cumbria, England, at the mouth of the River Derwent. Lying within the Borough of Allerdale, Workington is southwest of Carlisle, west of Cockermouth, and southwest of Maryport...
, the Northside Bridge over the River Derwent
River Derwent, Cumbria
The Derwent is a river in the Lake District of the county of Cumbria in the north of England. The name Derwent is derived from a Celtic word for "oak trees"....
collapsed. The bridge carried the A597, its collapse cut off supplies of gas to the town. Bill Barker
Barker Crossing
Barker Crossing was a pedestrian footbridge in Workington, England which was named after police officer Bill Barker, who died when the Northside Bridge in Workington collapsed below him...
, a police constable, died in the bridge collapse, following a called off lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
search. The replacement for Northside Bridge is scheduled to be built in 2012.
The Southwaite Footbridge, on the trackbed of the dismantled Cockermouth and Workington Railway
Cockermouth and Workington Railway
The Cockermouth & Workington Railway was a railway between the towns of Workington and Cockermouth established by Act of Parliament in 1845. A single-tracked line of eight and a half miles length, it was built primarily to carry coals from the pits of West Cumberland to the port at Workington for...
, also collapsed.
The bridge over the River Cocker in Low Lorton was also destroyed. Its replacement opened on Monday 31 January.
On Windermere
Windermere
Windermere is the largest natural lake of England. It is also a name used in a number of places, including:-Australia:* Lake Windermere , a reservoir, Australian Capital Territory * Lake Windermere...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
's largest natural lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
, located in the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
, approximately 20 boats sank due to the floods. The boats were all moored to a fixed pier, and could not rise with the rising water.
Also in Workington, Calva Bridge was reported on 22 November to have dropped by about 300 millimetre (0.984251968503937 ft). Police warned that it could collapse too. The bridge was later condemned, leaving residents in Northside a 40 miles (64.4 km) journey to get into Workington. Calva bridge had been built in 1841 by Thomas Milton. It was designed by Thomas Nelson. The bridge is a Grade II listed building. Although badly damaged, it was decided that the bridge could be repaired, as work carried out in 2005 to waterproof the deck had strengthened the bridge too. The contract for the repair work was awarded jointly to Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty plc is a British construction, engineering, military housing, rail and investment services company. It is one of the largest construction companies in the UK, and the 15th largest in the world...
and Mouchel
Mouchel
Mouchel Group plc is a multinational infrastructure and business services company headquartered in Woking, United Kingdom. It operates in sectors including highways, business process outsourcing, water, property, housing, education, waste, environmental and local government consultancy services in...
. Engineers warned that there was a 50% chance that the bridge could collapse during repairs. Two-thirds of the central pier's foundations had been washed away during the flood.
The Dock Bridge, which carries the railway line linking Workington Docks and the steelworks was badly damaged. Photographs show that at least one of the concrete trestle
Trestle
A trestle is a rigid frame used as a support, especially referring to a bridge composed of a number of short spans supported by such frames. In the context of trestle bridges, each supporting frame is generally referred to as a bent...
s has been washed away, dislodging the rails on the bridge.
Newlands Beck Bridge, Braithwaite
Braithwaite
Braithwaite is a village in the northern Lake District, in Cumbria, England. Historically within Cumberland, it lies just to the west of Keswick and to the east of the Grisedale Pike ridge, in the Borough of Allerdale. It forms part of the civil parish of Above Derwent.The eastern end of the...
, near Keswick collapsed, as did Camerton
Camerton, Cumbria
Camerton is a small village and civil parish dating back at least to Medieval times situated about north-east of Seaton in the Borough of Allerdale in Cumbria. The village is linked by road to Seaton, Great Broughton and Flimby, and there was a small footbridge over the river to Great Clifton...
Footbridge near Workington. A suspension footbridge
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
over the River Eamont
River Eamont
The River Eamont is a river in Cumbria, England and one of the major tributaries of the River Eden.The river is formed by the outflow from Ullswater in the Lake District, later augmented by Dacre Beck from the west and the River Lowther which carries the water from Haweswater north to the Eamont at...
at Dalemain also collapsed.
The Whitesands area of Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
was affected by flooding when the River Nith
River Nith
The River Nith is a river in South West Scotland.-Source, flow and mouth:The Nith rises in the Carsphairn hills of East Ayrshire, more precisely between Prickeny Hill and Enoch Hill, 7 km East of Dalmellington...
burst its banks. Five people were rescued by firefighters, and another two were rescued by boat from a stranded car. In the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
several homes were flooded in Ettrick
Ettrick, Scotland
Ettrick is a small village and civil parish in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, located around south-west of the town of Selkirk.-Local area:...
and Yarrow.
Weather forecasters have now predicted some more wet and windy weather over parts of Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, Lothian and Borders
Lothian and Borders
Lothian and Borders is an area in south-east Scotland consisting of the East Lothian, City of Edinburgh, Midlothian, West Lothian areas along with the Scottish Borders....
, and other parts of southern Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
In Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, a woman was reported missing in Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
on 21 November, having apparently fallen into the River Usk
River Usk
The River Usk rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain of mid-Wales, in the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east by Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and...
after crossing a bridge which had a 1.83 metres (6 ft) gap in the railings. Dyfed-Powys Police
Dyfed-Powys Police
Dyfed-Powys Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and the county of Powys, in Wales. The territory it covers is the largest police area in England and Wales, and the fourth largest in the United Kingdom...
and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
The Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is the fire and rescue service covering the Welsh principal areas of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, Powys and Swansea....
started a search which was called off overnight. It was resumed the next morning. A body was recovered from the River Usk at Talybont-on-Usk
Talybont-on-Usk
Talybont-on-Usk is a village and community in Powys, Wales. It lies on both the River Usk and the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, and in 2003 won the title of 'Powys Village of the Year'...
on 24 November. At Newtown, Powys, the body of a pensioner was found on the banks of the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
on 23 November. She had been reported missing on 21 November.
In Shropshire flood defences were deployed along the Severn Valley and some minor roads were closed due to flooding.
Isle of Man
On the Isle of ManIsle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
, there were power cuts in Ballaragh and Laxey
Laxey
Laxey is a village on the east coast of the Isle of Man. Its name derives from the Old Norse Laxa meaning 'Salmon River'.The village lies on the A2, the main Douglas to Ramsey road. Laxey Glen is one of the Manx National Glens, with Dhoon Glen being located close by...
but Manx Electricity restored power to all affected properties by the afternoon.
Ireland
In the Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
; a family of five were winched to safety by helicopter in County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, and damage was caused to the Lake Hotel at Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
in County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
. About 40 families at Ballinasloe in County Galway had to be evacuated by boat after the River Suck
River Suck
The River Suck is a river in Ireland, approx. in length.It is the main tributary of the River Shannon. It meets the River Swilly a few kilometres north of the village of Shannonbridge to form the Suck-Swilly, which becomes the River Shannon....
burst its banks. The centre of Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
was flooded by the River Lee
River Lee (Ireland)
The Lee is a river in Ireland. It rises in the Shehy Mountains on the western border of County Cork and flows eastwards through Cork City, where it splits in two for a short distance, creating an island on which Cork's city centre is built, and empties into the Celtic Sea at Cork Harbour on the...
to a depth of 1 metre, and the nearby towns of Bandon
Bandon, County Cork
Bandon is a town in County Cork, Ireland. With a population of 5,822 as of census 2006, Bandon lies on the River Bandon between two hills. The name in Irish means "Bridge of the Bandon", a reference to the origin of the town as a crossing-point on the river. In 2004 Bandon celebrated its...
, Clonakilty
Clonakilty
Clonakilty , often referred to by locals simply as Clon, is a small town on the N71 national secondary road in West County Cork, Ireland, approximately 45 minutes away by road to the west of Cork City. The town is on the southern coast of the island, and is surrounded by hilly country devoted...
, Dunmanway
Dunmanway
Dunmanway is a town in County Cork, in the southwest of Ireland. It is the geographical centre of the region known as West Cork. It is probably best known as the birthplace of Sam Maguire, an Irish Protestant republican, for whom the trophy of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship is...
and Skibbereen
Skibbereen
Skibbereen , is a town in County Cork, Ireland. It is the most southerly town in Ireland. It is located on the N71 national secondary road.The name "Skibbereen" means "little boat harbour." The River Ilen which runs through the town reaches the sea at Baltimore.-History:Prior to 1600 most of the...
were inaccessible. University College Cork sustained widespread damage, prompting it to cancel all lectures for at least one week.
Thousands of homes across the country were left with boiled-water notices, and over 40,000 homes were left without any water supply. In Cork City, over 18,000 homes on the city's north and inner south-sides were left without water for up to ten days. This was as a result of flood damage to the city's water treatment plant. The Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
was deployed to deal with rising floodwaters at Ennis
Ennis
Ennis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
, County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
and Clonmel
Clonmel
Clonmel is the county town of South Tipperary in Ireland. It is the largest town in the county. While the borough had a population of 15,482 in 2006, another 17,008 people were in the rural hinterland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian army which sacked both...
, County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
. Electricity supplies were cut off in Bandon, Cork and east County Galway. The house of one old lady in Athlone was even reported to have been the victim of flooding. A lorry driver had to be lifted from his vehicle in County Roscommon
County Roscommon
County Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
after it became struck in water beneath a bridge.
The floods affected a nationwide pre-planned strike action, with members of trade unions SIPTU
SIPTU
SIPTU , or in Irish: CSTGT is Ireland's largest trade union, with around 200,000 members. Most of these members are in the Republic of Ireland, although the union does have a Northern Ireland branch...
, IMPACT
Irish Municipal, Public and Civil Trade Union
The Irish Municipal, Public and Civil Trade Union is a trade union in the Republic of Ireland. It primarily organises workers in education, health, local government and the civil service...
and the TEEU postponing the unrest it had scheduled for County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
and County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
on 24 November so that they could assist with giving as much relief as possible.
In Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, the low-lying areas around the River Bann
River Bann
The River Bann is the longest river in Northern Ireland, the total length being 80 miles . The river winds its way from the south east corner of Northern Ireland to the north west coast, pausing in the middle to widen into the enormous Lough Neagh...
in County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
as well as the Strabane
Strabane District Council
Strabane District Council is a Local Council in County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. The headquarters of the Council is in the town of Strabane. Apart from Strabane the other smaller towns in the area include Plumbridge, Newtownstewart, Donemana, Sion Mills and Castlederg...
, Ards, Cookstown
Cookstown District Council
Cookstown District Council is a district council covering an area largely in County Tyrone and partly in County Londonderry. Council headquarters are in Cookstown. Small towns in the council area include Pomeroy, Moneymore, Coagh and Stewartstown and in the east the area is bounded by Lough Neagh...
, Lisburn
Lisburn City Council
Lisburn City Council is a district council covering an area partly in County Antrim and partly in County Down in Northern Ireland. The council is the second largest in the Belfast Metropolitan Area. Council headquarters are in the city of Lisburn, upon which was conferred city status in May 2002 as...
and Magherafelt
Magherafelt District Council
Magherafelt District Council is a district council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Council headquarters are in Magherafelt. The Council area stretches from Lough Neagh and the River Bann in the east and into the Sperrin Mountains in the west and is divided by the Moyola River. It covers...
districts were affected by flooding. County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
sustained the worst levels of flooding, with water levels on Lough Erne
Lough Erne
Lough Erne, sometimes Loch Erne , is the name of two connected lakes in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The lakes are widened sections of the River Erne. The river begins by flowing north, and then curves west into the Atlantic. The southern lake is further up the river and so is named Upper...
at their highest since first being recorded in 1956, owing to 35 consecutive days of rain. The floods affected many areas close to the shore of the lough including Lisnaskea
Lisnaskea
Lisnaskea is the second-biggest settlement in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 2,739 people in the 2001 Census. The town is built around the long main street, which bends at almost 90 degrees along its course.- History :...
and the county town
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
, Enniskillen
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
.
25–29 November
The plight of Athlone, County WestmeathCounty Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
came to light at this time when water levels at the town's lock reached around 50 centimetres above the previous record water level, six of these centimetres occurring during one night. Farms and housing estates were isolated, with the west side experiencing some of the worst flooding and a school being forced to close for several days. Some residents were cautiously evacuated from Limerick's Ardnacrusha
Ardnacrusha
Ardnacrusha power plant is a hydroelectric power station which was originally referred to as The Shannon Scheme. It is located near Ardnacrusha within County Clare approximately from the Limerick border. It is Ireland's largest river hydroelectric scheme and is operated on a purpose built canal...
district and eight homes were evacuated in Clonlara
Clonlara
Clonlara, officially Cloonlara ,Clonlara, officially Cloonlara ,Clonlara, officially Cloonlara , is a village in County Clare, Ireland.-Sports:Clonlara has a GAA club and an equestrian centre.-Natives:...
, County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
. Farmland between Ballina
Ballina, County Mayo
Ballina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
and Foxford
Foxford
Foxford, historically called Bellasa , is a small village 16 km south of Ballina in County Mayo, Ireland. The village stands on the N26 national primary route from Swinford to Ballina and has a railway station served by trains between Dublin and Ballina.Situated between the Nephin and Ox...
in County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
was flooded. Waterways Ireland
Waterways Ireland
Waterways Ireland is one of the six all-Ireland North/South implementation bodies established under the Belfast Agreement in 1999. It is responsible for the management, maintenance, development, and restoration of inland navigable waterways primarily for recreational purposes...
claimed on 25 November that the water level of the River Shannon
River Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
(Ireland's largest river) had become "unmanageable", with 33 per cent of the usual annual rain dropping in November alone.
The water level of Lough Derg had broken all previous records by 26 November. This caused the purposeful release of more water downstream which subsequently flooded these areas by around 10 more centimetres of water. Further evacuations took place in County Clare and the city of Limerick. The Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
continued to patrol Ennis
Ennis
Ennis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
. Waters continued to rise in County Galway as well at this time.
On 28–29 November torrential downpours and heavy winds spread across Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, causing flooding and damage. Four people were rescued by firefighters from cars across Devon. Street-water levels reached 4 feet (1.2 m) near Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
and 3 foot (0.9144 m) near Sparkwell
Sparkwell
Sparkwell is a small Devon village in the South Hams local authority. It has a churchVicars of All Saints, Sparkwell1884-1911 Pender Hodge Cudlip1911-1947 Thomas Woodman1917-1924 Ernest Arthur Milne1924-1931 Edward Harold Smith...
. Properties were flooded across the City of Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
and Ivybridge
Ivybridge
Ivybridge is a small town and civil parish in the South Hams, in Devon, England. It lies about east of Plymouth. It is at the southern extremity of Dartmoor, a National Park of England and Wales and lies along the A38 "Devon Expressway" road...
. Winds brought down an electricity pole in Millbrook, Cornwall
Millbrook, Cornwall
Millbrook is a civil parish and village in southeast Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The village is situated on the Rame Peninsula four miles south of Saltash....
.
Ireland's flooding shifted to the east of the country on 29 November. Dublin's River Liffey
River Liffey
The Liffey is a river in Ireland, which flows through the centre of Dublin. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac. The river supplies much of Dublin's water, and a range of recreational opportunities.-Name:The river was previously named An Ruirthech,...
burst its banks on 29 November , flooding several areas. Towns in County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
which were near the Liffey, were damaged by floods, including Ballymore Eustace
Ballymore Eustace
Ballymore Eustace is a small town situated in County Kildare in Ireland, although until 1836 it lay within a "pocket" of County Dublin...
, Kilcullen
Kilcullen
Kilcullen , formally Kilcullen Bridge, is a small town on the River Liffey in County Kildare, Ireland. Its population of 2,985 makes it the 12th largest settlement in County Kildare and the fastest growing in the county, having doubled in population from 1,483 in the census of 2002...
, Newbridge
Newbridge, County Kildare
The earliest known mention of Newbridge was by traveller and bookseller John Dunton in 1698, though he does not refer to any settlement other than at Ballymany....
, Clane
Clane
Clane is a town on the River Liffey and in the barony of Clane in County Kildare, Ireland, from Dublin.Its population of 4,968 makes it the eighth largest town in Kildare and the 78th largest in the Republic of Ireland....
, Celbridge
Celbridge
Celbridge is a town and townland on the River Liffey in County Kildare, Ireland. It is west of Dublin. As a town within the Dublin Metropolitan Area and the Greater Dublin Area, it is located at the intersection of the R403 and R405 regional roads....
, Naas
Naas
Naas is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. With a population of just over twenty thousand, it is also the largest town in the county. Naas is a major commuter suburb, with many people residing there and working in Dublin...
and Leixlip
Leixlip
-Politics:Since 1988 Leixlip has had a nine member Town Council , headed by a Cathaoirleach , which has control over many local matters, although it is limited in that it is not also a planning authority...
. A Clane nursing home was evacuated.
Courts scheduled for Cork and Skibbereen
Skibbereen
Skibbereen , is a town in County Cork, Ireland. It is the most southerly town in Ireland. It is located on the N71 national secondary road.The name "Skibbereen" means "little boat harbour." The River Ilen which runs through the town reaches the sea at Baltimore.-History:Prior to 1600 most of the...
were adjourned for several days due to flooded courthouses. Circuit court cases scheduled for Cork were moved to a hotel and High Court cases were moved to Clonmel
Clonmel
Clonmel is the county town of South Tipperary in Ireland. It is the largest town in the county. While the borough had a population of 15,482 in 2006, another 17,008 people were in the rural hinterland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian army which sacked both...
.
30 November – 4 December
On 30 November, firemen had to pump water from one estate in SallinsSallins
Sallins is a suburban town in County Kildare, Ireland, situated 3.5 km north of the town centre of Naas, from which it is separated by the M7 motorway. Sallins is the anglicised name of Na Solláin which means "The Willows"....
from which 104 families were subjected to an emergency evacuation. The River Liffey was still impassable at Strawberry Beds.
On 1 December, there was more torrential rain in the west, with drinking water supplies to 6,000 buildings in Galway reported to have been contaminated by human faeces and water undrinkable in more than 500 homes in Clare and Limerick.
On 2 December, thousands of acres of Irish farmland remained underwater, floodwaters were still rising in some Galway villages and roads in Clare and Galway were still impassable.
13–14 November
The Gloucester to Newport LineGloucester to Newport Line
The Gloucester to Newport Line is a railway line that runs along the bank of the River Severn in the United Kingdom from Gloucester to Newport....
through Wales and England was closed at Chepstow
Chepstow
Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the River Wye, close to its confluence with the River Severn, and close to the western end of the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway...
after heavy rain caused a rockslide on 13 November. Several roads across Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
were flooded under 60 centimetres (23.6 in) of water. The Tamar Bridge
Tamar Bridge
The Tamar Bridge is a major road bridge at Saltash in southwest England carrying traffic between Cornwall and Devon. When it opened in 1961 it was the longest suspension bridge in the United Kingdom...
connecting Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Cornwall was closed to bicycles, motorbikes and high-sided vehicles. Ferries between England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
were cancelled during the storm and the Port of Dover
Port of Dover
The Port of Dover is the cross-channel port situated in Dover, south-east England. It is the nearest English port to France, at just away, and one of Europe's largest passenger ports, with 14 million travellers, 2.1 million lorries, 2.8 million cars and motorcycles and 86,000 coaches passing...
was closed during part of 14 November.
18–23 November
Services on the West Coast Main LineWest Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
were temporarily suspended after a landslip between Carlisle
Carlisle railway station
Carlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, is a railway station whichserves the Cumbrian City of Carlisle, England, and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line, lying south of Glasgow Central, and north of London Euston...
and Penrith
Penrith railway station
Penrith railway station is located on the West Coast Main Line in the United Kingdom. It serves the town of Penrith, Cumbria and is less than one mile from its centre...
. Services resumed by midday on 20 November.
Services between Glasgow and Dunblane
Dunblane railway station
Dunblane railway station serves the town of Dunblane in central Scotland.- Facilities :It has three platforms, one which serves as a terminus for trains from Glasgow and Edinburgh, one which serves trains heading north to , , and Inverness...
were suspended. The West Coast Main Line was flooded between Carlisle
Carlisle railway station
Carlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, is a railway station whichserves the Cumbrian City of Carlisle, England, and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line, lying south of Glasgow Central, and north of London Euston...
and Carstairs
Carstairs railway station
Carstairs railway station in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, is a major junction station on the West Coast Main Line , situated close to the point at which the lines from London Euston to Glasgow Central and Edinburgh diverge...
and was closed as a result. Services were reduced between Edinburgh
Edinburgh Waverley railway station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
and Glasgow
Glasgow Queen Street railway station
Glasgow Queen Street is a railway station in Glasgow, Scotland, the smaller of the city's two main line railway termini and the third-busiest station in Scotland. It is between George Street to the south and Cathedral Street Bridge to the north, at the northern end of Queen Street adjacent to...
and also Edinburgh and Dunblane.
The Cambrian Line
Cambrian Line
The Cambrian Line is a railway from Shrewsbury to Welshpool, Aberystwyth and Pwllheli. The railway runs first through the central part of Wales and then along the coast of Cardigan Bay....
was closed between Newtown, Powys and Machynlleth
Machynlleth
Machynlleth is a market town in Powys, Wales. It is in the Dyfi Valley at the intersection of the A487 and the A489 roads.Machynlleth was the seat of Owain Glyndŵr's Welsh Parliament in 1404, and as such claims to be the "ancient capital of Wales". However, it has never held any official...
as a result of severe flooding on the River Dyfi
River Dyfi
The River Dyfi is a river in Mid Wales. The Dyfi estuary forms the border between the counties of Gwynedd and Ceredigion.- Source :...
. Replacement buses were provided by the service's operator, Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
.
In the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann is the national railway system operator of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann . It operates all internal intercity, commuter and freight railway services in the Republic of Ireland, and, jointly with Northern Ireland Railways, the...
rail services were suspended between Galway
Galway railway station
Galway railway station serves the city of Galway in County Galway. The Station itself is located in the centre of the city in Eyre Square. The station is to be redeveloped in the near future, as part of the Ceannt Station Quarter project.The station opened on 1 August 1851...
and Athlone
Athlone railway station
Athlone railway station serves the town of Athlone in County Roscommon and County Westmeath. The station is at the junction between the railway lines between Dublin-Galway and Dublin-Westport. There was a railway line to Mullingar but it is now disused...
; Limerick
Limerick railway station
Limerick railway station serves the city of Limerick in County Limerick. It is on Parnell St, and is the main station on the Limerick Suburban Rail network....
and Ennis
Ennis railway station
Ennis railway station serves the town of Ennis in County Clare, Ireland. The station forms part of the Western Railway Corridor, the name given to a group of lines in the west of Ireland between Limerick and Sligo...
; Carrick-on-Shannon
Carrick on Shannon railway station
Carrick on Shannon railway station serves the town of Carrick on Shannon, whilst the town itself is in County Leitrim, the railway station lies across the border in neighbouring County Roscommon.The station opened on 3rd December 1862....
and Longford
Longford railway station
Longford railway station serves the town of Longford in County Longford.Longford is about 91 km from Sligo and 122 km from Dublin. It lies on the Dublin-Sligo route of the Irish railway network, and is served by Sligo-Dublin intercity services. Despite its distance from Dublin, the town...
; Dublin
Dublin Connolly railway station
Dublin Connolly, commonly called Connolly station , is one of the main railway stations in Dublin, Ireland, and is a focal point in the Irish route network. Opened in 1844 as Amiens Street Station, the ornate facade has a distinctive Italianate tower at its centre...
and Maynooth
Maynooth railway station
Maynooth railway station serves the town of Maynooth in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is situated on the south side of the Royal Canal, opposite Dukes' Harbour...
; and Wicklow
Wicklow railway station
Wicklow railway station serves the town of Wicklow in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a two platform station with passing loop. A typical DSER signal cabin is mounted on the footbridge. At the Dublin end, there is a bridge situated on a curve....
and Gorey
Gorey railway station
Gorey railway station opened on 16 November 1863, and serves the town of Gorey in County Wexford, Ireland. It consists of two platforms, one of which is on a passing loop. At present, the down loop is only signalled for workings in the Enniscorthy direction. There is a water tower, still used by...
.
On 18 November, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company cancelled the morning ferry service from Douglas
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...
to Heysham
Heysham
Heysham is a large coastal village near Lancaster in the county of Lancashire, England. Overlooking Morecambe Bay, it is a ferry port with services to the Isle of Man and Ireland. Heysham is the site of two nuclear power stations which are landmarks visible from hills in the surrounding area...
and consequently the return service was also cancelled. The first service from Heysham was cancelled on 19 November. Services resumed with the 08:45 sailing from Douglas to Heysham.
In Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, ferry services from Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
were affected by strong winds on 18 November. Services operated by LD Lines
LD Lines
LD Lines is a French shipping company. It is predominantly a freight operator, with both deep-sea and ferry operations, but also operates some passenger services...
, Norfolkline
Norfolkline
Norfolkline was a European ferry operator and logistics company owned by Maersk. It provided freight ferry services on the English channel, Irish Sea, and the North Sea; and passenger ferry services on the English channel and Irish Sea; and logistics services across Europe...
, P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries is the current name for the amalgamation of a range of ferry services that operated from the United Kingdom to Ireland and Continental Europe...
and Seafrance
SeaFrance
SeaFrance is a ferry company based in France that operates ferry services between Calais, France, and Dover, England.SeaFrance is 100% owned by the French railways, SNCF....
were subject to delay. Kent Police
Kent Police
Kent Police is the territorial police force for Kent in England, including the unitary authority of Medway.-Area and organisation:The force covers an area of with an approximate population of 1,660,588 . The Chief Constable is currently Ian Learmonth, who was appointed in 2010 and is the former...
implemented phase one of Operation Stack
Operation Stack
Operation Stack is the name used by Kent Police and the Port of Dover in England to refer to the method of using sections of the M20 motorway in Kent to park lorries when the Channel Tunnel, English Channel or Dover ports are blocked by bad weather or industrial action, or enforced closure due to...
, using the M20
M20 motorway
The M20 is a motorway in Kent, England. It runs from the M25 motorway to Folkestone, providing a link to the Channel Tunnel and the ports at Dover. It is long...
to park lorries on until they could be accommodated on a ferry.
On 21 November, Irish Ferries cancelled all sailings due to have been performed by HSC Jonathan Swift
HSC Jonathan Swift
HSC Jonathan Swift is a high-speed ferry and is currently owned and operated by Irish Ferries on their Dublin-Holyhead service. It is named after the Anglo-Irish author Jonathan Swift....
on the Dublin - Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
route. Passengers were accommodated on .
In Workington
Workington
Workington is a town, civil parish and port on the west coast of Cumbria, England, at the mouth of the River Derwent. Lying within the Borough of Allerdale, Workington is southwest of Carlisle, west of Cockermouth, and southwest of Maryport...
, the collapse of Northside Bridge carrying the A597 road and the condemnation of Calva Bridge carrying the A596 resulted in a 40 miles (64.4 km) journey from Northside to the town centre. Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
constructed a temporary railway station, Workington North
Workington North railway station
Workington North railway station was a temporary railway station in Cumbria, United Kingdom, constructed following floods which cut all road access to Workington town centre from north of the River Derwent...
, to help Northside residents get into and out of town. The Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
from 170 (Infrastructure Support) and 3 Armoured Engineer Squadron are to install a temporary footbridge upstream of Calva Bridge, scheduled to open on 5 December 2009.
In County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
, high water levels on Lough Erne
Lough Erne
Lough Erne, sometimes Loch Erne , is the name of two connected lakes in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The lakes are widened sections of the River Erne. The river begins by flowing north, and then curves west into the Atlantic. The southern lake is further up the river and so is named Upper...
resulted in the closure of most bridges that link the east and west sides of the county. Diverted traffic was thus forced to pass through the county town
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
of Enniskillen
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
, itself sited on an island in the lough, causing major delays. Away from the lough, the town of Lisnaskea
Lisnaskea
Lisnaskea is the second-biggest settlement in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 2,739 people in the 2001 Census. The town is built around the long main street, which bends at almost 90 degrees along its course.- History :...
as well as the villages of Derrylin
Derrylin
Derrylin is a small village and townland in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is on the A509 road between Enniskillen and the border with County Cavan . It had a population of 423 in the 2001 Census.-History:...
and Boho also saw severe flooding, resulting in several road closures.
24–29 November
25 November saw fierce winds rattle Dublin AirportDublin Airport
Dublin Airport, , is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority. Located in Collinstown, in the Fingal part of County Dublin, 18.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010, making it the busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland, followed by Cork and Shannon...
leading to the diversion of ten Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus Group Plc is the flag carrier of Ireland. It operates a fleet of Airbus aircraft serving Europe and North America. It is Ireland's oldest extant airline, and its second largest after low-cost rival Ryanair...
, Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
, Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways is the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates. Established in July 2003 and based at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad commenced operations in November 2003....
and Ryanair
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish low-cost airline. Its head office is at Dublin Airport and its primary operational bases at Dublin Airport and London Stansted Airport....
aircraft—seven aircraft to Shannon Airport
Shannon Airport
Shannon Airport, is one of the Republic of Ireland's three primary airports along with Dublin and Cork. In 2010 around 1,750,000 passengers passed through the airport, making it the third busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland after Dublin and Cork, and the fifth busiest airport on the island...
and three aircraft to Manchester Airport. Some of the affected aircraft were transatlantic flights from destinations such as Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Sports disruption
All horse races scheduled for NaasNaas
Naas is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. With a population of just over twenty thousand, it is also the largest town in the county. Naas is a major commuter suburb, with many people residing there and working in Dublin...
racecourse on 25 November were cancelled because of waterlogging. A horse race scheduled for 28 November at Wexford
Wexford
Wexford is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. It is situated near the southeastern corner of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort. The town is connected to Dublin via the M11/N11 National Primary Route, and the national rail network...
was cancelled four days earlier as the course was waterlogged. The Naas and Wexford events were rescheduled for 3 December and 7 December respectively.
Reaction
On 21 November, British Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
visited Cumbria Police headquarters, near Penrith, to meet members of the emergency services before travelling to Cockermouth where he met people who had been evacuated from their homes. He pledged an additional £1,000,000 would be made available in aid for the affected areas when it was noted that the damages could well run into £50m to £100m mark. During his visit, Gordon Brown ordered checks to be made on all 1,800 bridges in Cumbria. It was feared that Calva Bridge in Workington would also collapse. Bridge inspections will be carried out by the Highways Agency
Highways Agency
The Highways Agency is an executive agency, part of the Department for Transport in England. It has responsibility for managing the core road network in England...
and the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
.
Cockermouth
Workington (UK Parliament constituency)
Workington is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.-Boundaries:...
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Tony Cunningham
Tony Cunningham
Thomas Anthony 'Tony' Cunningham is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Workington since 2001...
said that the buildings in Cockermouth may be broken, but the people were not. Following the death of the police officer, Cumbria Constabulary
Cumbria Constabulary
Cumbria Constabulary is the territorial police force in England covering Cumbria. It is currently the fifth-largest force in England and Wales in terms of geographic area but one of the smallest in terms of officer numbers. Given the force area's size and population of just under 500,000, it is...
stated that over 10,000 people had signed a tribute on its Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
page. The Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
praised emergency workers for the support they had provided. The ABI
Association of British Insurers
The Association of British Insurers or ABI is a trade association made up of insurance companies in the United Kingdom.-History:The ABI began in 1985 after several specialised insurance industry trade associations, including the British Insurance Association, the Life Offices’ Association, the Fire...
stated that the cost of the floods in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
could exceed £100,000,000.
In Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, the Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...
stated that the Government's priority was the provision of shelter and safe drinking water for those affected by the flooding. He chaired two sessions of the Emergency Response Co-Ordination Committee on the weekend following the outbreak of the floods.
Brian Cowen embarked on the first of his visits to Ireland's flood-affected areas on 23 November when he visited Clonmel
Clonmel
Clonmel is the county town of South Tipperary in Ireland. It is the largest town in the county. While the borough had a population of 15,482 in 2006, another 17,008 people were in the rural hinterland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian army which sacked both...
, Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, Ennis
Ennis
Ennis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
and Ballinasloe. The Taoiseach, taking a further half-day trip around Galway, Offaly, Roscommon and Westmeath to inspect flood-affected regions on 26 November, was confronted by the angry residents of Athlone who said he was using their plight as a "publicity stunt". Cowen refused to visit some of the most badly flooded areas of Athlone despite being offered a pair of waders and even a rowing boat.
On 27 November, Prince Charles visited the areas of Cumbria affected by the flooding, where he expressed "nothing but the greatest possible sympathy" for the victims of the flooding.
On December 21, President
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
Mary McAleese
Mary McAleese
Mary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...
embarked on a two-day visit of flooded areas, praising the "utterly selfless" acts of those who were assisting.
Aftermath of UK floods
As a result of the loss of all road and footbridges in Workington, it was announced that a new railway station, Workington NorthWorkington North railway station
Workington North railway station was a temporary railway station in Cumbria, United Kingdom, constructed following floods which cut all road access to Workington town centre from north of the River Derwent...
, would be built on waste land leased for two years from Allerdale Council
Allerdale
Allerdale is a non-metropolitan district of Cumbria, England, with borough status. Its council is based in Workington and the borough has a population of 93,492 according to the 2001 census....
. The station was scheduled to open by 28 November with services provided by Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
. Workington North opened on 30 November 2009.
Construction work began in late November on Barker Crossing
Barker Crossing
Barker Crossing was a pedestrian footbridge in Workington, England which was named after police officer Bill Barker, who died when the Northside Bridge in Workington collapsed below him...
, a temporary footbridge, constructed by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
's Corps of Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
involving over two hundred soldiers. The bridge was expected to take ten days to complete. It was constructed to provide a link across the River Derwent
River Derwent, Cumbria
The Derwent is a river in the Lake District of the county of Cumbria in the north of England. The name Derwent is derived from a Celtic word for "oak trees"....
after the Northside Bridge collapsed and the Calva Bridge was condemned. The replacement bridge is 52 metres (170.6 ft) long, and weighs about 110 tonnes (108 LT). It was prefabricated at Halton Camp and was erected on-site in early December. The bridge was opened to pedestrians on 7 December 2009.
On 26 November, three vehicles were observed driving over the closed Calva Bridge, Workington. The bridge had been closed by the use of temporary barriers. As a result of the incident, more substantial barriers were installed to prevent vehicles accessing the bridge.
Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral of PC Bill Barker in Egremont
Egremont, Cumbria
Egremont is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Copeland in Cumbria, England, south of Whitehaven and on the River Ehen. The town, which lies at the foot of Uldale Valley and Dent Fell, was historically within Cumberland and has a long industrial heritage including dyeing, weaving and...
on 27 November 2009. Barker died after the collapse of a bridge in Workington
Workington
Workington is a town, civil parish and port on the west coast of Cumbria, England, at the mouth of the River Derwent. Lying within the Borough of Allerdale, Workington is southwest of Carlisle, west of Cockermouth, and southwest of Maryport...
Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
.
In December 2009, Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
built a new temporary store in north Workington. People living in that part of town were finding it difficult to access the main store, which lies south of the River Derwent.
Relief effort in Ireland
An initial emergency relief fund of €10 million plus an extra €2 million especially for farmers was announced by the Irish government on the afternoon of 24 November. In Ireland's Budget 2010Irish budget, 2010
The 2010 Irish Budget refers to the delivery of a government budget by the Government of Ireland on 9 December 2009, its third in fourteen months...
, delivered by Minister for Finance
Minister for Finance (Ireland)
The Minister for Finance is the title held by the Irish government minister responsible for all financial and monetary matters. The office-holder controls the Department of Finance and is considered one of the most important members of the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Finance is...
Brian Lenihan
Brian Lenihan, Jnr
Brian Joseph Lenihan was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and barrister who served in the government of Ireland as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2008 and as Minister for Finance from 2008 to 2011...
on 9 December 2009, a further minimum amount of at least €70 million was put towards those affected by the floods and to the prevention of similar disasters in future.
The Irish Red Cross
Irish Red Cross
The Irish Red Cross Society , commonly referred to as the Irish Red Cross , is the National Red Cross Society in the Republic of Ireland. It was established by Nurse Elizabeth O'Herrin either on 1 July or 1 August 1939 on the approach of the Second World War...
stated that it expected to raise €1 million for survivors of the flooding and that it was starting to take applications for assistance from them on 12 December 2009. The organisation announced it had reached this total on 10 January 2010. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
The St Vincent de Paul Society is an international Roman Catholic voluntary organization dedicated to tackling poverty and disadvantage by providing direct practical assistance to anyone in need. Active in England & Wales since 1844, today it continues to address social and material need in all...
had two warehouses in Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
to collect aid for survivors. The Cork Flood Appeal Benefit Night was one fund-raising event which was held on 15 December 2009. Home Athlone was another event held on 21 December 2009.
See also
- List of natural disasters in the United Kingdom
- UK rainfall recordsUK rainfall recordsRecord rainfall extremes in the UK over 200 mm in 24 hours, based on data from the British Rainfall publication, 1866-1968 and other sources.- External links :**...
- February 2009 Great Britain and Ireland snowfallFebruary 2009 Great Britain and Ireland snowfallThe snowfall across the British Isles in February 2009 was a prolonged period of snowfall that began on 1 February 2009. Some areas experienced their largest snowfall levels in 18 years. Snow fell over much of Western Europe. The United Kingdom's Met Office and Ireland's Met Éireann issued severe...
- Climate of the United KingdomClimate of the United KingdomThe United Kingdom straddles the geographic mid-latitudes between 50-60 N from the equator. It is also positioned on the western seaboard of Eurasia, the world's largest land mass. These boundary conditions allow convergence between moist maritime air and dry continental air...
- Climate of EuropeClimate of EuropeThe climate of Europe is of a temperate, continental nature, with a maritime climate prevailing on the western coasts and a mediterranean climate in the south. The climate is strongly conditioned by the Gulf Stream, which warms the western region to levels unattainable at similar latitudes on...
- Effects of global warmingEffects of global warmingThis article is about the effects of global warming and climate change. The effects, or impacts, of climate change may be physical, ecological, social or economic. Evidence of observed climate change includes the instrumental temperature record, rising sea levels, and decreased snow cover in the...
, which is likely to increase the frequency of extreme weather.- Physical impacts of climate changePhysical impacts of climate changeThis article is about the physical impacts of climate change. For some of these physical impacts, their effect on social and economic systems are also described.-Definition of climate change:This article refers to reports produced by the IPCC...
- Physical impacts of climate change
- Global storm activity of 2009Global storm activity of 2009Global storm activity of 2009 profiles the major worldwide storms, including blizzards, ice storms, and other winter events, from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009...
- Global storm activity of 2010Global storm activity of 2010The former article was split into three to avoid confusion between the three periods of storm activity.*Global storm activity of early 2010 – January–April 2010*Global storm activity of mid 2010 – May–September 2010...
- Winter of 2009–2010 in EuropeWinter of 2009–2010 in EuropeThe winter of 2009–2010 in Europe was unusually cold. Globally, atypical weather patterns brought cold, moist air from the north. Weather systems were undergoing cyclogenesis from North American storms moving across the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and saw many parts of Europe experiencing heavy...
External links
- Video of the Camerton Bridge collapsing (You tube)
- Article on the heavy rainfall on 19 November 2009 by Met ÉireannMet ÉireannMet Éireann is the national meteorological service in Ireland, part of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.-History:...
- A round-up of the counties most severely hit by the flooding—The Irish Times
- Gallery: Flooding Images at RTÉRaidió Teilifís ÉireannRaidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
- Photos and Videos of Flooding in Workington
- Video of flooded Stock Ghyll waterfall in Ambleside(You tube)