Geography- Unit 1.3.3/ Storm Desmond case study

Question 1

What caused the floods?

Answer 1

• Area of low pressure/ humid air from atlantic ocean brought heavy rain and wind to the uk
• The already saturated ground couldn’t absorb all the water, surface runoff and floods.

Question 2

What were the social impacts?

Answer 2

-5,200 homes were affected
-Over 1,000 people were evacuated
-46,000 homes around the uk were left without power
- 40 schools in cumbria (north west of england) were closed
- 2 people were killed
-Road closures and
closure of the west coast mainline rail route to scotland and the cumbrian coast rail to Carlisle and workington

Question 3

What were the environmental impacts?

Answer 3

-Thousands of trees that lined the river were ripped from the ground
- Many landslides occured due to heavy rainfall/ saturated ground
-Broke the uk record of rainfall in 24 hours with 341.2mm falling in cumbria
- Waterfall at Malham cove

Question 4

When was storm desmond?

Answer 4

-5th and 6th of december 2015.

Question 5

Where did storm desmond affect?

Answer 5

Cumbria and the Republic of Ireland.

Question 6

What were the economic impacts?

Answer 6

-£500 Million in damage across cumbria

Question 7

What were the short term responses?

Answer 7

• 190 flood warnings were made
• 70 flood alerts were made
• Released £40,000 from emergency fund to help rural communities, e.g farmers
• Teams were deployed to help aid recovery, 200 military personnel
• Government announced a £50 million repair program for cumbria and lancaster.

Question 8

What were the long term responses?

Answer 8

NATIONAL FLOOD RESILIENCE GROUP- Used scientists and other experts on the matter to find/ improve already existing flood managements such as river dredging.
CUMBRIAN FLOODS PARTNERSHIP GROUP- discussed and worked with local communities to improve management and looked towards decreasing discharge upstream.