Over the weekend, agencies from across Cumbria have well worked together to handle the severe weather brought to our county by Storm Isha.

 The impacts of this storm continue with high winds and heavy rainfall.

Partners are still working together to support any residents, communities and businesses affected by the weather including dealing with power outages, damage to our roads, fallen trees and flood warnings.

Please follow the advice being shared across social media and in the media to keep  safe.

Storm Isha has led to:

  • Winds of over 80mph at Shap - with many areas in Cumbria getting winds of 70 mph
  • Road and rail disruption
  • Power outages
  • Disruption to roads and closures of some routes

Chief Superintendent Carl Patrick, of Cumbria Constabulary, is chairing the Local Resilience Forum response. He said:

This storm has had a significant impact on Cumbria, with numerous reports of highway disruption, people without power and issues with flooding. While the amber alert has passed and we appear to be through the worst, our multi-agency status of being on standby for a major incident remains.

The public can be reassured that our multi-agency response has been running for several days in preparation for this and all agencies continue to work together to protect our communities. But people should be aware a further yellow warning of wind is in place for tomorrow afternoon, running on into Wednesday afternoon.

While this is not as serious as the warning issued yesterday we remain concerned about this coming so soon after the previous alert, with recovery work still underway and issues such as trees already weakened.

Our advice remains the same over the next few days – we would ask people to prepare and follow the guidance being given in the media and on social media to minimise the ongoing impact.

Please make yourselves aware of the key contacts and ensure any vulnerable people within our communities are also aware and prepared.

We ask people to check on any vulnerable friends, family and neighbours following last night’s events and over the coming days to make sure they are safe and well, or if they need any assistance.”

Zoe Larmour, community services manager for North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Trust said:

"Community nursing and therapy teams are working with partners to make sure that we reach patients who need to be seen.  We’re having difficulties accessing some areas due to the weather but we are maintaining all essential visits with the support of partners including the fire service and Cumbria 4x4.

If you have not received a scheduled visit and are concerned then please contact us on 01946 853333 then select the option for your area. Please do attend any NHS appointments that you have, where it is safe to do so, and if you are not able to attend please call the service to reschedule."

Storm Isha is now moving on but attention is now shifting to the next weather system coming in. At the moment another storm is due on Wednesday (24 Jan). Named Storm Jocelyn, this  will be gthe 10th named storm in the 2023/24 season. 

 As such residents are still being asked to:

  • Secure any loose items around your home and garden, such as rubbish bins, trampolines, plant pots and garden furniture, to minimise the risk of floating debris and damage.
  • Speak to vulnerable relatives, friends and neighbours – advise them and ensure they are prepared in case of power outages.
  • Stay away from the fells well in advance of the affected times to keep you and mountain rescue volunteers safe.
  • Do not drive through flood water if coming across flooding – take an alternative route.
  • Check your torch batteries, radio and try to ensure phones are charged up in advance of the affected times.
  • Park vehicles in a garage if available – otherwise keep them clear of buildings, trees, walls and fences if possible.
  • Be aware of the latest weather warnings and avoid planning travel during this time if possible.
  • If you must travel during this time do so with caution – pack your car with essentials, plan your route and listen to travel updates.
  • Do not touch any telephone or electrical cables that may have blown down.

To report any issues - or if you need help for yourself or someone vulnerable - please see the following agencies’ updates and contact details.

For the latest information and updates please follow:

 

Waste and recycling services

Following the weekend’s storms a number of roads have been affected by flooding and fallen trees. Highways teams have worked hard all weekend to keep most major roads open, however teams are still dealing with issues on many minor roads and expect more reports to come in today. Therefore residents are warned this may well cause disruption to our scheduled waste and recycling collections for the next couple of days. Both councils will work hard to try and minimise any impact and disruption.

Electricity North West

Electricity North West can be contacted on 105 for power cuts, but please only call if your query is urgent to help prioritise customers in the most vulnerable circumstances. For more information, please visit www.enwl.co.uk.

Water

For water supply issues contact United Utilities on 0345 672 3723

Roads:

Weather:

Keep up-to-date with the weather at www.metoffice.gov.uk

Traffic

 For latest traffic and roads information visit: Traffic - Cumbria Constabulary

Flooding risks and updates

https://www.gov.uk/check-flood-risk, call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 or follow @EnvAgencyNW on Twitter for the latest flood updates

Contact www.cumbria.police.uk/report-it  or call 101 if you have concerns about your own safety and wellbeing, or the safety and wellbeing of someone you know. If there is an immediate risk to life call 999