DRAMATIC FOOTAGE HAS emerged of a driver being pulled from the roof of his car amid rushing floodwaters in Mytholmroyd in the north of England.
The town, in West Yorkshire, was evacuated yesterday as the river Calder burst its banks.
Flood sirens sounded at 7am and the centre of the town was completely under water by the afternoon.
Rescue crews on duty in the area were alerted to the fact that there was still a person in the car, which was almost completely engulfed in the torrent – and spent over a minute trying to get the sunroof open and pulling the driver from the vehicle.
COBRA talks
David Cameron is chairing emergency talks today after flooding across northern England forced hundreds of people to leave their homes – including in the historic tourist destination of York.
Hundreds of flood warnings are in place around the country, with 31 of them severe, signalling a risk to life.
More rain is expected in the area today although the downpours are not expected to be as severe as yesterday.
Environment Secretary Liz Truss told the BBC that the amount of rain had been “unprecedented”.
We’re still in a situation with major flood warnings. People need to look at the latest advice from the Environment Agency, from the emergency services.
“That’s really important because in many places we have not yet reached the high point.”
York
Police have advised up to 400 people to evacuate their homes and move possessions to the upper floors of their homes near rivers in York.
Hundreds of people have also been evacuated from other parts of Yorkshire and Lancashire and the army has been drafted in to help with the flood response.
Over 7,000 homes in Greater Manchester and Lancashire were also without electricity due to flood damage.
With its cobbled streets and timbered buildings, York is one of Britain’s top tourist attractions.
It has a rich history dating back to Roman times and is home to one of Europe’s finest cathedrals, which is about 800 years old.
Lisa Pallister, 36, decided to leave her home in York with her family as flood waters rose.
We didn’t think it would reach us because we’re raised off the ground and have three storeys but, by this morning, it was on the steps and it is going to rise by lunchtime. So we had a boat ride out.
With reporting from © AFP 2015.
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