Huge Flood in Cumbria-Workington: Policemen Missing After Bridge Collapse

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Posted on November 20 2009 by Narendra Singh

Cumbria flooding: Police officer missing after bridge collapse in flood-hit Cumbria.

A rescue operation is under way to evacuate about 200 people from the town of Cockermouth, as floods hit Cumbria.

RAF helicopters have airlifted more than 20 to safety, with some forced to break through the roofs of their houses to escape. Others remain trapped.

The Environment Agency said the situation was “very serious”.

RAF helicopters airlifted at least 50 people from buildings in nearby Cockermouth, where police said around 960 homes were at risk of flooding. Water levels rose to almost 8ft on the worst affected streets.

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn, who is travelling to Cockermouth, understood the circumstances was “very serious”.

He told BBC Breakfast: “We be inflicted with seen extraordinary amounts of precipitation. The drizzle gauge by Seathwaite registered 314mm [12.4in] in 24 hours which may possibly get on to it the wettest time always recorded, and we’ve seen the impression of with the intention of with the terrible flooding which has affected public.”

The RAF understood conditions were “atrocious”, with fill up levels in approximately parts of the town success in this area 8ft (almost 2.5m).

“The circumstances has continued to decline ended the earlier period two hours with public being mandatory to break through the rooftops of houses as they frenetically seek getting away from from rising floodwaters,” it understood in a statement.

More than 1,000 homes in the area were without electricity, with a further 349 homes affected in nearby Keswick. Workington_Bridge Cockermouth