The army has been called out to evacuate homes after Storm Desmond caused severe flooding in parts of the UK.
It was sent in to Cumbria and the Scottish Borders, where hundreds of homes are under water and nearly 50 severe flood warnings remain.
The floods minister said the storm had "broken all the UK rainfall records".
"It's a completely unprecedented amount of water," Rory Stewart told BBC News.
More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from houses in parts of Cumbria and the Scottish Borders, as 60,000 homes have been left without power.
The Environment Agency has issued 186 flood warnings, as Cumbria Police warned Carlisle residents to stay indoors and not to travel.
The warning came as emergency services searched the River Kent in the city following fears an elderly man had fallen into the water.
Severe flooding and strong winds has caused all train services between England and Scotland to be suspended.
Cumbria Police, HM Coastguard and Mountain Rescue Teams scrambled to evacuate residents of Warwick Road in Carlisle as water rose to waist-length.
Mark Christie of Cumbria Police was one of the heroes of the night when he carried an elderly woman to safety in his arms after her home was flooded.
Vehicles struggled through the flood water and parked cars could been seen submerged in water.
Desmond's devastation: Storm whips up seas so high that massive car-carrying ship gets enormous HOLE in its side as army are called in and floods wreak havoc across northern England and southern Scotland
Ship crashed with another vessel as the North East Lincolnshire coast was battered by high winds and rain
Pensioners, children and pets had to be rescued from their homes in Carlisle as the military was called in to help
A rare red weather warning covered Dumfries, Lothian and the Borders until the early hours of this morning
Trains between England and Scotland were suspended due to severe flooding and strong winds in North East
By Katie Louise Davies For Mailonline
6 December 2015
Daily Mail
A massive car carrying ship was left with an enormous hole in its port when it crashed with another vessel in high tides as Storm Desmond wreaked havoc across Britain.
The smash on the North East Lincolnshire coast came just days before the army was called in to help stranded families who had been forced out of their homes because of flooding.
More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from houses in parts of Cumbria and the Scottish Borders, as 60,000 homes have been left without power.
The Environment Agency has issued 186 flood warnings, as Cumbria Police warned Carlisle residents to stay indoors and not to travel.
The warning came as emergency services searched the River Kent in the city following fears an elderly man had fallen into the water.
A car-carrying ship was left with a huge hole in its port after crashing with another vessel in high winds and rain on the Humber Estuary
The damaged ship is today docked in the Inningham Docks, Humberside, as an investigation to establish the cause of the crash gets underway
There were also significant scrapes down one side of the haulage carrier, while the damage to the other ship is not clear.
Both vessels were berthed safely following the incident and an investigation has now been launched to establish how the collision occurred.
An Associated British Ports (ABP) spokesperson said: 'We can confirm that a collision occurred between two vessels at 8.40pm on Thursday evening in the Humber Estuary.
'Both vessels sustained damage but were berthed safely following the incident.
'The relevant agencies have been informed and a full investigation will now take place to ascertain the cause of the collision.'
A Christmas tree is surrounded by water as flooding blights the Cumbrian market town of Cockermouth after the confluences of the River Cocker and River Derwent overflow
Margaret McCraken, 79, is rescued from her home in Broad Street, in Carlisle, by members of the armed forces who have been called in to help evacuate people who wish to move
A member of the armed forces helps move stranded pensioner Ms McCraken from her flooded house (top), as residents try to salvage their belongings in Carlisle (bottom)
David Cameron said Army officers had been called in to help stricken families affected by the floods. Soldiers are pictured in Carlisle city centre as residents were put on full alert
Members of the armed forces help distribute sandbags to families following flooding in Carlisle as 186 flood warnings were in place
A local resident stumbles as he wades through flood water on a residential street in Carlisle, as British police declared a major incident in northern England
The army has been called out to evacuate flood hit homes in Cumbria, where the city of Carlisle has been badly hit, and the Scottish Borders
Severe flooding and strong winds has caused all train services between England and Scotland to be suspended.
Cumbria Police, HM Coastguard and Mountain Rescue Teams scrambled to evacuate residents of Warwick Road in Carlisle as water rose to waist-length.
Mark Christie of Cumbria Police was one of the heroes of the night when he carried an elderly woman to safety in his arms after her home was flooded.
Vehicles struggled through the flood water and parked cars could been seen submerged in water.
Marie Bragshaw and her dog Meg had a lucky escape as they were evacuated out of the street on a boat from HM Coastguard, which earned her rescuer a hug and kiss when they reached safe ground.
The Mountain Rescue Team wade through high water levels to save an elderly man, his dog and possessions from his home in Carlisle, Cumbria, today
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron was among those stranded in Cumbria.
Mr Farron was driving through his Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency with four children in the car when he got stuck on a heavily flooded back road.
He told BBC News: 'It is incredible weather. We have not seen anything like this. This is Cumbria for pity’s sake - we are used to challenging weather. This is beyond anything I can even recall.'
Cars and houses are submerged in a street in Carlisle as Cumbria Police warn residents to stay indoors and not to travel
RNLI and Fire Rescue teams use inflatable boats to rescue residents and their pets from first floor windows in Carlisle this morning which has been engulfed in flood water following record breaking rainfall
The cross-Tyne Shields ferry Spirit of the Tyne also had to be rescued by Tynemouth RNLI lifeboat volunteers in a dramatic mission last night after the ferry's engine failed on its final crossing of the night from North to South Shields.
As the lifeboat was being launched the Port of Tyne pilot launch Collingwood managed to evacuate the small number of passengers from the ferry, leaving just the skipper who was desperately trying to get the ferry's engine restarted.
The drifting ferry was then carried several hundred yards downriver by the powerful wind and current until it was caught on the river bank.
Mark Christie of Cumbria Police carries an elderly woman to safety after her property flooded in Carlisle city centre in Cumbria, which was on full alert as residents were rescued from their homes this morning
The RNLI lifeboat approached the ferry and in a difficult operation the volunteer crew managed to get a tow rope attached and the lifeboat then pulled the stricken vessel away from the rocks, almost becoming grounded itself in the extreme wind.
The lifeboat dragged the ferry back to South Shields ferry landing and almost had it secured when the tow rope parted after becoming snagged on the ferry landing, with the wind again blowing the ferry away from the landing.
Eventually the lifeboat crew got the ferry under tow again and assisted by the crew of the pilot launch, got it safely tied up on the landing.
Coastguard workers carry a pensioner through flooded streets in Cumbria this morning as Storm Desmond wreaked havoc on the town
The British Red Cross teams set up rest centres in Keswick, Appleby and Kendal, while medical groups issued an urgent call to draft in extra doctors amid fears the storm could cause casualties.
Adrian Holme, from Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, told the BBC the flood was 'unprecedented' and 'exceptionally challenging' as more than 100 people were evacuated from Keswick.
Power supplies were also seriously affected and at least 55,000 homes in Lancaster, Morecambe, Carnforth will continue to face cuts for a number of days after flood defences protecting a major substation were breached overnight.
Electricity North West said another 4,000 properties were without power across Cumbria as flooding continued to cause further faults.
A fire and rescue crew had to save a member of the public who was found clinging to a tree after they tried to reach a horse stranded in a flooded field in Northumberland, while fire services in Lancashire responded to more than 300 calls for help, including road traffic collisions and two fires.
Looking ahead, MeteoGroup forecaster Gemma Plumb said weather should dry out later during Sunday - before more rain heads up from the south west on Sunday night.
Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said that an emergency Government meeting has been called to organise effective responses for the worst affected.
She said: 'We know what a devastating impact flooding has on communities and our thoughts are with those affected this weekend.
'The Environment Agency, local authorities and the emergency services are already working around the clock to protect properties, help those already affected and reduce the risk to others and we are working with them to ensure they have everything they need to respond. I urge people to check the latest flood updates via the EA website and Twitter.'
The River Eden burst its banks through the market town of Appleby as Storm Desmond caused flooding today
The streets in Appleby, Cumbria, have been transformed into rivers by the heavy rainfall. A car is pictured here completely submerged in flood water
This picture took in a cemetery in Appleby today shows headstones covered in flood water after the river burst its banks
In the south of Scotland, hundreds of homes have been evacuated as Storm Desmond burst river banks across the country.
A rare red weather warning covered Dumfries, Lothian and the Borders until the early hours of Sunday with heavy rain due to continue.
Dumfries and Galloway Council described the situation as a 'major emergency' and said it was preparing for flooding similar to that which hit the region in 2009.
More than 100mm of rain has fallen in the region since Friday, according to Met Office figures.
Red Cross volunteers were called out to set up and run a rest centre for people evacuated from their flood-threatened homes in Hawick.
The Environment Agency issued 56 severe weather warnings, which means endanger to life, and 60 flood warnings that requires immediate action, across Britain
Read more: Storm Desmond sees British Army called in as floods wreak havoc across Cumbria and Scotland | Daily Mail Online
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It was sent in to Cumbria and the Scottish Borders, where hundreds of homes are under water and nearly 50 severe flood warnings remain.
The floods minister said the storm had "broken all the UK rainfall records".
"It's a completely unprecedented amount of water," Rory Stewart told BBC News.
More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from houses in parts of Cumbria and the Scottish Borders, as 60,000 homes have been left without power.
The Environment Agency has issued 186 flood warnings, as Cumbria Police warned Carlisle residents to stay indoors and not to travel.
The warning came as emergency services searched the River Kent in the city following fears an elderly man had fallen into the water.
Severe flooding and strong winds has caused all train services between England and Scotland to be suspended.
Cumbria Police, HM Coastguard and Mountain Rescue Teams scrambled to evacuate residents of Warwick Road in Carlisle as water rose to waist-length.
Mark Christie of Cumbria Police was one of the heroes of the night when he carried an elderly woman to safety in his arms after her home was flooded.
Vehicles struggled through the flood water and parked cars could been seen submerged in water.
Desmond's devastation: Storm whips up seas so high that massive car-carrying ship gets enormous HOLE in its side as army are called in and floods wreak havoc across northern England and southern Scotland
Ship crashed with another vessel as the North East Lincolnshire coast was battered by high winds and rain
Pensioners, children and pets had to be rescued from their homes in Carlisle as the military was called in to help
A rare red weather warning covered Dumfries, Lothian and the Borders until the early hours of this morning
Trains between England and Scotland were suspended due to severe flooding and strong winds in North East
By Katie Louise Davies For Mailonline
6 December 2015
Daily Mail
A massive car carrying ship was left with an enormous hole in its port when it crashed with another vessel in high tides as Storm Desmond wreaked havoc across Britain.
The smash on the North East Lincolnshire coast came just days before the army was called in to help stranded families who had been forced out of their homes because of flooding.
More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from houses in parts of Cumbria and the Scottish Borders, as 60,000 homes have been left without power.
The Environment Agency has issued 186 flood warnings, as Cumbria Police warned Carlisle residents to stay indoors and not to travel.
The warning came as emergency services searched the River Kent in the city following fears an elderly man had fallen into the water.
There were also significant scrapes down one side of the haulage carrier, while the damage to the other ship is not clear.
Both vessels were berthed safely following the incident and an investigation has now been launched to establish how the collision occurred.
An Associated British Ports (ABP) spokesperson said: 'We can confirm that a collision occurred between two vessels at 8.40pm on Thursday evening in the Humber Estuary.
'Both vessels sustained damage but were berthed safely following the incident.
'The relevant agencies have been informed and a full investigation will now take place to ascertain the cause of the collision.'
Margaret McCraken, 79, is rescued from her home in Broad Street, in Carlisle, by members of the armed forces who have been called in to help evacuate people who wish to move
A member of the armed forces helps move stranded pensioner Ms McCraken from her flooded house (top), as residents try to salvage their belongings in Carlisle (bottom)
David Cameron said Army officers had been called in to help stricken families affected by the floods. Soldiers are pictured in Carlisle city centre as residents were put on full alert
The army has been called out to evacuate flood hit homes in Cumbria, where the city of Carlisle has been badly hit, and the Scottish Borders
Severe flooding and strong winds has caused all train services between England and Scotland to be suspended.
Cumbria Police, HM Coastguard and Mountain Rescue Teams scrambled to evacuate residents of Warwick Road in Carlisle as water rose to waist-length.
Mark Christie of Cumbria Police was one of the heroes of the night when he carried an elderly woman to safety in his arms after her home was flooded.
Vehicles struggled through the flood water and parked cars could been seen submerged in water.
Marie Bragshaw and her dog Meg had a lucky escape as they were evacuated out of the street on a boat from HM Coastguard, which earned her rescuer a hug and kiss when they reached safe ground.
The Mountain Rescue Team wade through high water levels to save an elderly man, his dog and possessions from his home in Carlisle, Cumbria, today
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron was among those stranded in Cumbria.
Mr Farron was driving through his Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency with four children in the car when he got stuck on a heavily flooded back road.
He told BBC News: 'It is incredible weather. We have not seen anything like this. This is Cumbria for pity’s sake - we are used to challenging weather. This is beyond anything I can even recall.'
Cars and houses are submerged in a street in Carlisle as Cumbria Police warn residents to stay indoors and not to travel
The cross-Tyne Shields ferry Spirit of the Tyne also had to be rescued by Tynemouth RNLI lifeboat volunteers in a dramatic mission last night after the ferry's engine failed on its final crossing of the night from North to South Shields.
As the lifeboat was being launched the Port of Tyne pilot launch Collingwood managed to evacuate the small number of passengers from the ferry, leaving just the skipper who was desperately trying to get the ferry's engine restarted.
The drifting ferry was then carried several hundred yards downriver by the powerful wind and current until it was caught on the river bank.
The RNLI lifeboat approached the ferry and in a difficult operation the volunteer crew managed to get a tow rope attached and the lifeboat then pulled the stricken vessel away from the rocks, almost becoming grounded itself in the extreme wind.
The lifeboat dragged the ferry back to South Shields ferry landing and almost had it secured when the tow rope parted after becoming snagged on the ferry landing, with the wind again blowing the ferry away from the landing.
Eventually the lifeboat crew got the ferry under tow again and assisted by the crew of the pilot launch, got it safely tied up on the landing.
Coastguard workers carry a pensioner through flooded streets in Cumbria this morning as Storm Desmond wreaked havoc on the town
The British Red Cross teams set up rest centres in Keswick, Appleby and Kendal, while medical groups issued an urgent call to draft in extra doctors amid fears the storm could cause casualties.
Adrian Holme, from Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, told the BBC the flood was 'unprecedented' and 'exceptionally challenging' as more than 100 people were evacuated from Keswick.
Power supplies were also seriously affected and at least 55,000 homes in Lancaster, Morecambe, Carnforth will continue to face cuts for a number of days after flood defences protecting a major substation were breached overnight.
Electricity North West said another 4,000 properties were without power across Cumbria as flooding continued to cause further faults.
A fire and rescue crew had to save a member of the public who was found clinging to a tree after they tried to reach a horse stranded in a flooded field in Northumberland, while fire services in Lancashire responded to more than 300 calls for help, including road traffic collisions and two fires.
Looking ahead, MeteoGroup forecaster Gemma Plumb said weather should dry out later during Sunday - before more rain heads up from the south west on Sunday night.
Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said that an emergency Government meeting has been called to organise effective responses for the worst affected.
She said: 'We know what a devastating impact flooding has on communities and our thoughts are with those affected this weekend.
'The Environment Agency, local authorities and the emergency services are already working around the clock to protect properties, help those already affected and reduce the risk to others and we are working with them to ensure they have everything they need to respond. I urge people to check the latest flood updates via the EA website and Twitter.'
The River Eden burst its banks through the market town of Appleby as Storm Desmond caused flooding today
This picture took in a cemetery in Appleby today shows headstones covered in flood water after the river burst its banks
In the south of Scotland, hundreds of homes have been evacuated as Storm Desmond burst river banks across the country.
A rare red weather warning covered Dumfries, Lothian and the Borders until the early hours of Sunday with heavy rain due to continue.
Dumfries and Galloway Council described the situation as a 'major emergency' and said it was preparing for flooding similar to that which hit the region in 2009.
More than 100mm of rain has fallen in the region since Friday, according to Met Office figures.
Red Cross volunteers were called out to set up and run a rest centre for people evacuated from their flood-threatened homes in Hawick.
The Environment Agency issued 56 severe weather warnings, which means endanger to life, and 60 flood warnings that requires immediate action, across Britain
Read more: Storm Desmond sees British Army called in as floods wreak havoc across Cumbria and Scotland | Daily Mail Online
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