Record rainfall ‘would have overwhelmed any defence’
engineers begin urgent review of county’s 1,800 bridges hit by floodwater
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The unprecedented rainfall which devastated parts of Cumbria “would have overwhelmed any defence” the Environment Agency said yesterday.
Structural engineers and military experts began an urgent safety review of the county’s 1,800 bridges as fears grew that Calva Bridge in Workington was on the brink of being swept away.
The coastal town was cut off, with Friday’s collapse of Northside Bridge and the closure of Calva Bridge forcing residents to make lengthy detours.
Paul Mott, a forecaster with MeteoGroup UK, said Cumbria face additional weather problems tonight.
He said: “More heavy rain is expected in the coming days and Tuesday night could see 20-30mm (about an inch) of rain.”
The Environment Agency said river levels across the region were expected to remain relatively high for the next few days.
Dredging
A spokesman said “the phenomenal rainfall would have overwhelmed any defence” and dredging the River Derwent at Cockermouth – which is upriver of Workington – would have made “no difference whatsoever”.
He said defences at Cockermouth were raised using a £100,000 investment following the January 2005 floods to protect against a one-in-100-year event.
He said contrary to some reports there were no outstanding upgrades due.
Initial inspections of flood defences suggested they were not damaged.
Director of operations David Jordan said: “The rainfall levels we saw on Thursday and Friday were unprecedented, the highest ever recorded in the UK.
“They washed away road bridges that had stood for decades and no defence could have prevented the flooding we’ve seen.
“While conditions in Cumbria are improving, more heavy rain is forecast and four severe flood warnings remain in place.”
Andrew Butler, of Cumbria Highways, said a sheer crack in Calva Bridge’s central arch had grown overnight on Saturday night and the deck of the bridge had sunk more than a foot.
Tony Cunningham, MP for Workington, said getting to nearby Seaton had turned into a 90-mile journey, adding: “My major concern is residents who are cut off. Things are getting desperate.”
He suggested temporary structures may need to go up in the short term.
He said locals were responding well, adding: “The community spirit is incredible.”
Churches across Cumbria prayed for the flood victims.
The Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt Rev James Newcome, said the thoughts of the county were particularly with the family and friends of Constable Bill Barker, who disappeared into the swollen waters of the River Derwent early on Friday morning after the Northside Bridge collapsed.
Canon Bryan Rowe, of St Michael’s Church in Workington, said: “The whole community is hurting. We are isolated. We are a long way from a motorway now. We can’t even go to the other side of the river.
“The sad thing is it’s going to take months.”
In Cockermouth yesterday, the town centre was still cordoned off by police as an army of surveyors, structural engineers, utility workers and Environment Agency staff continued their work to start the clean-up.
Paul Cusack, who employs 12 staff at his travel agency, Cockermouth Travel, was moving the business to another premises in the town.
He said: “Today should have been the Christmas lights switch-on in Cockermouth.
“The feeling is a mixture of devastation and determination, to get it all put right again. People in this area are very resilient.
“The only time I have felt tearful is because of the numbers of people calling up offering to help, not just locally but nationally.”
Police said a total of 16 bridges and at least 25 roads were closed.
About 60 people were still sheltering in the two main reception centres.
The Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund, set up by the Cumbria Community Foundation, reached £145,000.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown pledged an extra £1million of government money to help flood-hit communities.
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