At least 50 severe flood warnings were issued in parts of England and Scotland on Sunday, with the army coming in to evacuate homes in the north-western county of Cumbria, which was hit particularly badly by Storm Desmond. Emergency crew used boats to take residents to eight rescue centres that have been set up for those who have been displaced. The wreckage caused by Storm Desmond left tens of thousands of homes without power in Lancaster after an electricity substation got flooded. Parts of the country received more than 300mm of rain in a day, the BBC reported.

Prime Minster David Cameron said the government was doing its best to help people and prevent more damage. On Monday, he is expected to chair the meeting of a committee set up to to co-ordinate the relief measures. The Met Office had declared a major emergency on Saturday, naming Storm Desmond as the fourth major major weather incident of this season.