A Muslim charity from Blackburn, which has carried out relief operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has been dispatched to Cumbria amid further flood warnings.
Teams from Al-Imdaad Foundation will be joined by more than 60 volunteers from the charity this weekend. It is part of a wider relief effort already involving hundreds of people ranging from local mountain rescue teams, to soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, and players from Carlisle United.
Those living in Cumbria and other areas affected by flooding were warned to remain vigilant by the Environment Agency yesterday evening, with more rain expected bringing “potential for further disruption.”
Seven flood warnings and 22 flood alerts have remained in place across northern England.
More than 6,400 homes have been flooded in total, according to Cumbria Police, and the county has suffered an estimated £500m of damage, almost double the cost of the floods that it experienced six years ago.
Around a thousand customers in Cumbria remained without power yesterday, said Electricity Northwest.
Sufyaan Valimulla from the Al-Imdaad Foundation which arrived in Carlisle yesterday, told The Independent: “We’re liaising with the Cumbria fire and rescue service. This morning we were told that a lot of people, especially the elderly, are going back from rescue centres to their homes, and are seeing the devastation there. We’ve been providing hot food, fresh water, and helping people clear their homes.”
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He added: “A lot of people have been decorating their homes for Christmas and have been literally crying on our shoulders because they are heartbroken and distraught.”
More than 60 volunteers have already signed up to come at the weekend, but Mr Valimulla said: “People need a lot more help, whatever we do is never going to be enough.”
