Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes as ‘unprecedented’ levels of flooding continue to hit the already blighted north of England.
Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron chaired an emergency Cobra meeting as Environment Secretary Liz Truss described the flooding as 'unprecedented' and said flood defences need to be reviewed.
The widespread flooding is just the latest to devastate the flood-hit north of England, with many communities across Cumbria and Lancashire facing further misery as they continue to clean-up from the deluge which hit just a fortnight ago.
Emergency services navigate a flooded street in York, northern England. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
A man paddles his kayak along a flooded street in York, England. Heavy rain over the Christmas period has caused severe flooding in parts of northern England, with homes and businesses in Yorkshire and Lancashire evacuated as water levels continue to rise in many parts. Photograph: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
Members of Cleveland Mountain Rescue and soldiers from 2 Battalion The Duke of Lancasters Regiment assist members of the public as they are evacuated from the Queens Hotel in York city centre as the River Ouse floods in York, England. Photograph: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
A man wades through floodwaters as rivers burst their banks in Hebden Bridge, England. There are more than 200 flood warnings across Britain as home and business owners prepare for serious flooding. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
A woman carries a birdcage as she wades through floodwater after the River Calder burst its bank’s in the CalderValley town of Mytholmroyd, England. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
Residents are helped to safety as they battle against floodwater after the River Calder bursts its bank’s in the CalderValley town of Mytholmroyd. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
The entire street has been left underwater in Mytholmroyd, in Calderdale, West Yorkshire. These images of the devastation show how water levels have risen above the level of the windows in homes and shops in the region after a month of rainfall fell in a day. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
