On Friday, May 24, 2024, torrential rain unleashed its fury upon Cumbria, causing widespread flooding that wreaked havoc on travel and left behind a trail of devastation. Carlisle, the county’s beating heart, became a focal point of the crisis, receiving the heaviest rainfall in the United Kingdom, an astounding 65.6mm (2.5in) in just 24 hours, according to the Met Office. This relentless downpour overwhelmed the West Coast Main Line, blocking all rail services between Carlisle and Lockerbie, while Northern was forced to cancel its operations to Barrow-in-Furness. The relentless onslaught of water pushed the River levels in Stockdalewath, a tranquil village, far beyond those witnessed during the catastrophic Storm Desmond of 2015. This unprecedented rise prompted the Environment Agency to issue the county’s first-ever emergency alert, underscoring the severity of the situation. The average rainfall for Carlisle in May typically stands at a modest 55mm (2.1in), but this month’s torrential deluge shattered that norm. The unrelenting rainfall turned into a nightmare for Andy Mainprice and his wife Sharon, who had embarked on their inaugural journey in their brand-new £50,000 campervan. They awoke to a harrowing sight: their once-pristine vehicle was submerged in water that reached their chests. The realization that their prized possession was likely beyond repair was a bitter blow, but amidst the devastation, they expressed gratitude for their survival. Karl Melville, the assistant director for highways at Cumberland Council, confessed that the sheer volume of rainfall had taken him aback. The council’s highways department was flooded with over 90 calls in a mere 12 hours, reflecting the scale of the crisis. In response to the localized flooding, emergency services and local authorities swiftly formed a task force to mitigate its impact. Swifts Bank car park and Castle car park in Carlisle were closed off to prevent any further incidents, with city dwellers advised to utilize Caldew Riverside, Viaduct, or West Walls car parks as alternatives. Ch Supt Mick Bird of Cumbria Police issued a stern warning to motorists, urging them to proceed with extreme caution and avoid traversing flooded roads as the depth of the water remained highly uncertain. TransPennine Express echoed this warning, alerting passengers to significant travel disruptions between Preston and Carlisle, with commercial director Darren Higgins confirming that services north of Carlisle were severely affected.
Flooding Wreaks Havoc in Cumbria, Disrupting Travel and Leaving Devastation
