Publication Date December 6, 2015 | The Guardian

Severe flooding prompts evacuations as Storm Desmond sweeps across UK

United Kingdom
 The effects of floodwaters during Storm Desmond seen in Bellingham. Photograph: Neil Denham/Barcroft Media
The effects of floodwaters during Storm Desmond seen in Bellingham. Photograph: Neil Denham/Barcroft Media

A total of 17 severe flood warnings, which indicate danger to life, were put in place in Cumbria and Northumberland. The Met Office issued its highest red warning for north-west England. In Scotland, 80 flood warnings and alerts were issued while several main roads were closed because of landslides and flooding. At Altura, in the Highlands, a landslide dumped 200 tonnes of debris on the A82 between Spean Bridge and Invergarry. A 15-mile stretch of the road was closed and several areas of flooding between Invergloy and Letter Finlay caused further chaos