Haunting flashback images from Cumbria’s previous floods of the 21st century have been repeated today after persistent, at times, torrential rain hit the county again.
Towns previously hit badly by floods – Cockermouth and Keswick – were again on the receiving end while Whitehaven was also badly affected.
In what was probably an indication of what had happened, and of the prospect of worse to follow, television crews were in Cockermouth for a lunchtime bulletin.
The floods of 2009 had produced heartbreaking scenes in November 2009 with a fatality in Workington; reports of 1,300 homes being flooded and 3,057 businesses affected across the county.
Cockermouth, Workington and Keswick were the worst-hit towns, and along with Carlisle all four suffered again in 2015 from Storm Desmond.
So there were major concerns across the county when the Environment Agency issued flood warnings, with a danger to life and conditions in some areas as bad as the 2009 flood.
The UK was forecast to have five days of brutal storms with Cumbria, the north west and south west Scotland taking the brunt – and predictions of floods and damage have proved accurate.
Many roads across the county were underwater, leaving a collection of abandoned vehicles, while many householders and business people have been relying again on their stored sandbags.
Chris Wright, the Cockermouth rugby union coach, lives by the riverside in the town and said it hadn’t been a good night for the family. Along with others he has been up from the early hours pumping away excess river water,
Cockermouth cricket club, which suffered badly during previous storms, was hit again with one of the senior players Gareth White revealing pictures of the extent the ground had been flooded.
“It’s brought back some bad memories,” he said.
Like a lot more in the town as a series of pictures followed from various folk as they went about their business as best they could.
The River Cocker was in full flow again in the town threatening to burst its banks while the Derwent had overflowed in several places en route seven miles to Workington.
Keswick was another town to suffer in previous storms and floods, so most people were expecting the worst following the warnings from the Environment Agency.
Keswick Rugby Union club has been particularly affected before and it was no exception this time as the pitches were underwater and once again water found its way into the clubhouse. Allan Lambert sent in pictures from the ground and clubhouse earlier today.
In Whitehaven, roads were flooded and one resident said he had never seen it as bad.
Coach Road was affected and the neighbouring Whitehaven Miners football field was underwater.
Keep up-to-date with the latest news about Cumbria’s floods here
