UK flooding: Video shows family canoeing home after floods continue to disrupt life in York
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Version 0 of 1. As Prime Minister David Cameron defended government funding for flood defences yesterday, residents in flood-affected York are still coming to terms with the damage inflicted to their community. The video above shows that life must go on as a father and his daughter canoe back to their home on Huntingdon Road, York. Homeowners on Huntingdon Road were swamped by the nearby overflowing River Foss when a flood gate was deliberately raised at the height of the deluge to prevent it from being stuck. Maggie Caudwell who lives on the street, told The Independent: “It’s okay for David Cameron to play helicopters and come here for a photoshoot, but what happened with that flood barrier was pathetic.” “We have all this engineering prowess and we still get flooded. If the gate had stayed closed, this would not have happened. I just feel so angry.” On his trip, Mr Cameron was heckled by residents for cuts to public services. The Chief Executive of the Environment Agency (EA), Sir Philip Dilley, has also come under fire for allegedly choosing to holiday in Barbados rather than visit the affected areas and help the response effort. EA released a statement saying: "The chief executive leads the Environment Agency on a day-to-day basis. "He is in charge of the agency’s response to the flooding crisis; has visited the flood-hit areas twice (Cumbria, 6-7 Dec; Yorkshire and Lancashire 26-27 Dec); and is attending Cobra meetings." As Storm Frank hits the United Kingdom, the Met Office has issued yellow warnings covering large parts of Scotland, North West England and Wales. Gusts of 55-65mph are predicted across the next few days in western parts of UK with exposed areas experiencing winds of up to 70-80mph. |