Flooding Case Studies in MEDC

Cockermouth, UK - Rich Country (MEDC)

 

Causes: Rain 

A massive downpour of rain (31.4cm), over a 24-hour period triggered the floods that hit Cockermouth and Workington in Cumbria in November
2009

What caused all the rain?

The long downpour was caused by a lengthy flow of warm, moist air that came down from the Azores in the mid-Atlantic. This kind of airflow is common in the UK during autumn and winter, and is known as a ‘warm conveyor’. The warmer the air is, the more moisture it can hold.

What else helped to cause the Cumbrian Floods?

The ground was already saturated, so the additional rain flowed as surface run-off straight into the rivers

The steep slopes of the Cumbrian Mountains helped the water to run very rapidly into the rivers 

The rivers Derwent and Cocker were already swollen with previous rainfall

Cockermouth is at the confluence of the Derwent and Cocker (i.e. they meet there)

 The effects of the flood

Over 1300 homes were flooded and contaminated with sewage

A number of people had to be evacuated, including 50 by helicopter, when the flooding cut off Cockermouth town centre

Many businesses were flooded causing long-term difficulties for the local economy

People were told that they were unlikely to be able to move back into flood-damaged homes for at least a year. The cost of putting right the damage was an average of £28,000 per house 

Insurance companies estimated that the final cost of the flood could reach £100 million 

Four  bridges collapsed and 12 were closed because of flood damage. In Workington,  all the bridges were destroyed or so badly damaged that they were declared unsafe – cutting the town in two. People faced a huge round trip to get from one side of the town to the other, using safe bridges

One man died– PC Bill Barker

Responses to the flood

The government provided £1 million to help with the clean-up and repairs and agreed to pay for road and bridge repairs in Cumbria

The Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund was set up to help victims of the flood. It reached £1 million after just 10 days

Network Rail opened a temporary railway station in Workington     

The ‘Visit Cumbria’ website provided lists of recovery services and trades, and people who could provide emergency accommodation

Management of future floods at Cockermouth

£4.4 million pound management scheme

New flood defence walls will halt the spread of the  river

Funding from Government and local contributors

River dredged more regularly to deepen the channel 

New embankments raise the channel height to reduce the likelihood of extra floods

New floodgates at the back of houses in Waterloo street