Storm Eva: Army joins the effort to protect Cumbria from more flooding

The army has been drafted in to help protect flood-hit areas of Cumbria as Britain braces itself for yet another deluge and more flooding.

Up to six inches of rain are expected in Cumbria overnight, raising concerns that some parts of the county could be in for a fourth bout of flooding as Storm Eva rolled into the north of England bringing winds of up to 80mph.

Environment Secretary Liz Truss convened a meeting of Cobra – the Cabinet office emergency response committee – as armed forces and hundreds of Environment Agency staff helped bolster flood defences. They piled up sandbags, installed an 20 extra water pumps – which can move as much as 1,000 litres a second – and put up more than three kilometres of temporary flood barriers that had been rushed to the north of England.

In total the Environment Agency issued 105 flood warnings and alerts in place, indicating likely or potential flooding, covering much of Wales, the North and West of England, parts of West and North Yorkshire and southern Scotland.

“This has been a very difficult time for all involved, especially people flooded out of their homes at Christmas for which I have enormous sympathy,” Ms Truss said after the Cobra meeting. “I would like to pay tribute to the tireless work of frontline staff over the last month and to the resilience of those communities affected, which I have seen first-hand.

“We are doing all we can to support Cumbrian communities during this difficult time as we face unprecedented levels of rain and possible further flooding over Christmas as more rains falls on heavily saturated ground.”

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While flooding was most likely in Cumbria, parts of Lancashire, Yorkshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire were also at high risk, the Environment Agency has warned.

Cumbria has had the wettest December since records began in 1910 and the second wettest November, leaving rivers swollen and large areas of ground waterlogged.

More than three-quarters of the temporary flood defences were sent to parts of Cumbria where a company from the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment were deployed to install them. Soldiers were on the ground in Warwick Bridge, Braithwaite and Appleby.

Major Nick Higgins, of the 2nd Battalion, said: “The people of Appleby and the surrounding area we have been operating in have been massively affected by these storms and it’s important that we are here to help them.”

Paul Muslow, of the Environment Agency, added: “Our thoughts are with those who have had their homes and businesses flooded, some several times, in the run-up to Christmas. With heavy rain expected tonight, we urge people to remain vigilant.”

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As Britain scrambled to minimise the flood disruption, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: “Even at Christmas our armed forces are keeping us safe. Once again they are responding to the Cumbrian floods with a commitment that can only be applauded.”

A multi-agency Strategic Coordination Group has been set up to organise precautionary and preventative measures ahead of the forecast deluge.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted his thanks to firefighters, soldiers and EA staff, who he said were “saving lives and homes”.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, whose Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency has been affected by the floods, said the Environment Agency’s efforts to prevent flood damage had been “impressive” and praised the emergency services and churches.

“The community spirit across Cumbria is truly remarkable,” said Mr Farron, who earlier this month became stranded as he tried to navigate flooded roads while driving in his rural constituency.

Around 40 roads and bridges remain damaged and closed and hundreds of homes have been left uninhabitable. The Government has said it will set aside £60 million for a relief fund. As Cumbria endured an unprecedented bout of wet weather, the temperatures across the UK remained unseasonably warm. Christmas Day was expected to be the one of the warmest on record.

“The odds suggest we are set for the hottest Christmas Day and December on record,” a William Hill spokesman said.

The latest Met Office data shows the average temperature this December has been 8.1C – 4.2C above the long-term average for the month and well above the previous record of 6.9C, set in 1934.

Many areas of Cumbria have experienced more than two-and-a-half times the normal level of rainfall so far this month. Some 472 millimetres of rain have fallen at Keswick this month, compared to the long-term monthly average of 173mm.

The flooding also threatens to continue the travel chaos in some parts of the country in the coming days after thousands of journeys on Christmas Eve were delayed.

An EA spokesman said: “Cumbria is the area most at risk from further river and surface water flooding later today and tonight, with parts of Lancashire and Yorkshire also at risk.

“There is also the potential for some flooding along parts of the River Severn in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Worcestershire over the weekend and into Monday.”