First images of the collapsed Pooley Bridgepublished at 16:05
Image source, @catstycamThis bridge collapsed in Ullswater, Cumbria, and is the second one to collapse in the county after the fall of Coledale High Bridge near Braithwaite on Saturday.
Summary
Police searching for a missing man find a body in the River Kent near Kendal, in Cumbria
Met Office confirms record rainfall fell on Cumbria in 24 hours - 341.4mm
As many as 5,000 homes in Northern England and southern Scotland flooded
Power has been lost to 42,000 properties in the Lancaster area and more than 1,400 in Cumbria are also without power
Schools closed and hospital services cancelled. Road and rail travel also disrupted
David Cameron has visited the flood-hit region and has chaired an emergency Cobra meeting
First images of the collapsed Pooley Bridgepublished at 16:05
Image source, @catstycamKeswick couple show the BBC around their flood-damaged homepublished at 16:01
BBC correspondent Christian Fraser has spoken to Roger and Julie Scoon of Keswick who were due to sell their house when the flooding hit.
The couple put their furniture in a room that was unaffected during the floods in 2009, but this time around the water came in through the windows.
Mr Scoon said: "We did what we could, we got flood gates, we put tiled floors down so we can mop out, but we never dreamt it would come up here."
For a full video of the interview click here.
Electricity North West: 'We tried everything to protect Carlisle'published at 15:47
Electricity North West systems manager, Chris Fox, said: “It is essential that we remove power to customers for a short period of time to prevent 60,000 customers being without power for a long period.
“We tried everything we could to protect Carlisle but unfortunately this is an unprecedented flooding event.
Quote MessageThis is an incredibly challenging time for many people and I can assure them that we are working around the clock with the emergency services to coordinate the best response we can”
Chris Fox, Electricity North West systems manager
Severe weather causes hospital operations to be cancelledpublished at 15:37
Due to the ongoing severe weather University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust is cancelling all non-urgent operations and a number of clinics that were scheduled to take place at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI) on Monday.
Urgent operations will continue to be carried at the RLI but any non-urgent operations are now cancelled.
The following clinics at the RLI are also cancelled for tomorrow:
- Audiology
- Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
- Maxillofacial
- Breast screening
The Cardiac Centre at Westmorland General Hospital will also be closed tomorrow and any planned sessions due to take place are now cancelled.
Quote MessageWe are trying, where possible, to contact those patients affected, but due to significant problems with phones in the Lancaster area, this is difficult. Therefore, we are asking for the public’s help in passing on the message to any friends and family members that may have appointments at the RLI tomorrow”
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, A spokesman
Latest update on how many homes without powerpublished at 15:35 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2015
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postThe floods from around the UK: In picturespublished at 15:28
Click here for a selection of pictures from around the UK, which show the chaos caused by the floods.
More rain forecast for Cumbriapublished at 15:28 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2015
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postHospitals now running on 'back-up power'published at 15:23
Two hospitals are now believed to be on back-up power from generators.
They are the Cumberland Infirmary and Royal Lancaster in Lancashire.
Second bridge collapsepublished at 15:22
Residents have confirmed that Pooley Bridge in Ullswater, Cumbria, has collapsed.
It follows the collapse of Coledale High Bridge near the village of Braithwaite, which collapsed due to the floods on Saturday.
From the scene in Scottish Borders town Hawickpublished at 15:20
BBC Scotland's Catriona Renton
The sky above Hawick is now blue and there has not been a drop of rain for hours. So very different from last night when the River Teviot flowed fast and angrily through the town.
Throughout yesterday 600 people were evacuated from their homes along the river bank.
Some sought refuge in the local sport centre, many spent the night in bed and breakfasts or with friends and family.
In nearby Newcastleton people were also moved out of their homes temporarily as Storm Desmond made its mark.
The local volunteer flood group in Hawick were busy helping throughout. Now the town counts the cost and assesses the damage.
Last night the famous Pringle shop in Hawick had water up to its letterbox.
Today to look at Hawick you would hardly know there had been a flood here but while the water drains away its effects remain.
Carlisle MP: 'It's heartbreaking for Carlisle'published at 15:20
Conservative MP for Carlisle John Stevenson has told BBC News that he cannot be certain how many homes in Carlisle have been affected by the floods, but he estimates it is on the same scale as the floods in 2005 when 4,000 homes were damaged by flooding.
"It's heartbreaking for the people of Carlisle right now," he said.
"You have got to remember this has been the highest rainfall ever recorded.
"So this is a unique event that is happening."
Military move into Carlisle to helppublished at 15:14
Military personnel are moving into Carlisle to help people evacuate their homes and those who are trapped by the floodwater.
Here are some more pictures of the scene.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, PA
Image source, Getty ImagesAerial shot of Cockermouthpublished at 14:55 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2015
David Shukman, BBC science editor
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postTruss: 'Highest rainfall ever'published at 14:55 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2015
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter post'Grim sight from the air'published at 14:51 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2015
David Shukman, BBC science editor
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postMinister: Flood defences gave us more timepublished at 14:51
Floods minister Rory Stewart said the deluge could have caused more damage.
He told BBC News: "The first thing to put in context is that we've now broken all the UK rainfall records.
"It's a completely unprecedented amount of water. Those defences held, they were strong, but the water over-topped the defences.
"We're looking at nearly 15 feet of water rising up the side of those defences. What they did is they gave us more time to evacuate people and what they meant is that we got less water in the streets than we would have had, had the defences not been in place."
Cumbria Police: Don't return to your homespublished at 14:41 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2015
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postMayor of Keswick: Flood defences 'overwhelmed'published at 14:41
The Mayor of Keswick Paul Titley tells BBC News water levels are the highest he's ever seen.
Quote MessageThe flood defences were designed for a one in 100 year event and since it's six years since we had the last one, we were sort of surprised that we got one so soon. I think they did work but they were just completely overwhelmed by just the sheer amount of rainwater we had. The river was 5.4 metres above ground this year. In 2009 it was 4.6 metres. And 4.6 metres had sat there as the target that we never wanted to breach again."
The scene from Carstairs, Lanarkshirepublished at 14:25 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2015
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postLatest message from West Midlands Fire Servicepublished at 14:25 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2015
Danny Savage, BBC correspondent
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter post