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0 6-08-2024 Flood planning gaps could put 'lives at risk' Credit BBC Radio Cumbria, BBC Look North 06-08-2024 People's homes, and even their lives, could be at risk because of gaps in the emergency response to severe weather, communities have warned. Cumbria was left devastated after Storm Desmond in 2015 and has been inundated by flood water on numerous other occasions. Community volunteers said the overhaul of local councils in Cumbria had left gaps in the system. The local authorities tasked with responding to such emergencies insisted they were working hard to make sure people had the information and support they needed. KESWICK Claire Peat, project manager for Keswick Community Emergency Recovery Partnership, described a near miss where floodgates which should have been shut during heavy rain remained open. She said when Storm Isha hit in January, she asked the EA to close the floodgates as water rose in the river. "I was told that unfortunately, because they’ve got limited operational staff, their ops team were already out and deployed in Appleby, dealing with existing flooding," Ms Peat said. The fire and rescue service held another set of keys for the gates as a "plan B", but the brigade’s crews were also deployed elsewhere, she added. Luckily on that occasion, homes in Keswick were "spared by the fact the weather decided to stop raining," she said. CARLISLE Luis Eckersley, the vice-chair of Carlisle Flood Action Group, said he did not have as comprehensive access to information about flood response plans, such as where people should go when evacuated, as he used to. KENDAL Community volunteers in Kendal warned the recent overhaul of local councils in Cumbria had created problems around flood planning.The old two-tier system, which included a county council and six district councils, was replaced by two unitary authorities in 2023.

03-09-2024 UK to receive earlier flood and drought warnings using high-tech sensors and real time monitoring Researchers across the UK to use latest tech and major data bank to provide better flood and drought warnings. From: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, UK Research and Innovation and The Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP Published 31 August 2024 Researchers across the UK to use latest tech and major data bank to better predict where devastating floods and droughts will strike innovators will also pioneer new ways of tackling the worst of extreme weather to halt damage and cut eye-watering cost to the economy sensors in UK rivers and real time monitoring will gather priceless data that goes towards modelling the potential impact and likely flashpoints

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