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Photos: Storm Desmond flooding has broken UK rainfall records

A street in Carlisle, Britain.
A street in Carlisle, Britain.
Image: Reuters/Phil Noble
By
Kevin J. Delaney
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A punishing storm hit the United Kingdom this weekend, knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes and flooding parts of northern England, Ireland, and Scotland.

Storm Desmond dropped a total of 262.6 mm (10.3 inches) of rain in Cumbria county, in northwest England, from Friday through Sunday. Floods minister Rory Stewart told the BBC that Desmond had ”broken all the UK rainfall records.”

The rainfall from Storm Desmond is over for the UK. But more rain expected mid-week could complicate clean-up efforts.

Rescue workers pull a boat full of rescued residents along a flooded residential street in Carlisle, Britain December 6, 2015. REUTERS/Phil Noble
Rescue workers pull a boat full of residents in Carlisle, Cumbria.
Image: Reuters/Phil Noble
Rescue workers remove local residents by boat from a flooded residential street in Carlisle, Britain December 6, 2015. British police have declared a major incident in northern England after prolonged heavy rain caused widespread flooding and forced emergency services to evacuate residents from their homes. REUTERS/Phil Noble
Rescue workers in Carlisle.
Image: Reuters/Phil Noble
A local resident carries a bag as he wades through flood water on a residential street in Carlisle, Britain December 6, 2015. British police have declared a major incident in northern England after prolonged heavy rain caused widespread flooding and forced emergency services to evacuate residents from their homes. REUTERS/Phil Noble
A man wades through the water in Carlisle.
Image: Reuters/Phil Noble