Cumbria, Ireland and Scotland Floods.

Rescue Services

This past week the United Kingdom and Ireland suffered severely from the aftermath of Atlantic storm Desmond, with winds well over 120 mph and severe flooding. Many people were stranded and cut off in their homes without power. Carlisle was the worst effected with a large part of the city under 5-9 feet of water. The east-coast rail line was also flooded between Preston and Glasgow, I think for the first time?

The R.N.L.I. was the main force employed with rescue boats to ferry out the old and those who were either disabled or ill. Other services such as the Coast Guard, mountain rescue and military provided helicopters for those really bad areas.

Fourteen inches of rain fell in a 39 hour period across these islands and most rivers could not cope, even with recent improved defences. There will be many questions in relation to infrastructure and did the building of banks and glass walls really help?

Money will always be the main issue in these matters and perhaps the failure to dredge rivers is one of the main problems, apart from building on low level land to the water table.

The inflatable comes into its own in these types of flood condition, there were also many other small boats involved with outboard engines.