Flooding case study - Cumbria, 2021
Cumbria is in North West England. It is the third largest English county by area and is largely rural. Severe flooding took place in 2009 and 2015. The 2015 floods affected around 50,000 homes, causing damage estimated to cost £500 million. After the events of 2015, the council spent £2.6 billion on flood defence schemes to protect the region from future flooding.
Causes of the flooding
In October 2021, a slow-moving weather system caused unusually heavy rainfall across many parts of the UK. Many parts of England and Wales, including Cumbria, experienced widespread flooding. More than a month’s worth of rain (12in or 30cm) fell within Cumbria over a 24-hour period.
Effects of the flooding
- 43 properties were flooded. Over 1400 properties were protected by the flood defences put in place in response to the 2015 flooding.
- Travel disruption took place. Many roads were closed, and some rail services were delayed or cancelled.
- Tourism was affected as hillwalkers were advised to stay off the hills and mountains. It was half-term week for English schools and many families were taking holidays in the area
- Sporting events were affected. Keswick Rugby Club was under water, so the weekend fixtures couldn’t take place. The Original Mountain Marathon event was also cancelled.