2 dead as Storm Desmond hits Britain

LONDON — Two people died during a storm that caused severe flooding in northern England and Scotland.

Storm Desmond hit Britain on Saturday, leaving tens of thousands of people without power, disrupting transport and closing schools and some courts.

A body was found in the River Kent in Kendal in the badly hit northwestern English county of Cumbria, police said Monday, a day after an elderly man was reported to have fallen into the water. Thousands of homes and businesses were flooded, and scores of people have been rescued from their homes.

In London, a 90-year-old man died when he was apparently blown into the side of a bus by a gust of wind Saturday.

Britain's Met Office on Monday said new rainfall records were set for both 24 and 48-hour periods, both in Cumbria.

Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday said he will visit badly affected areas and said the government will review existing flood defenses in England and Wales following criticism of the state's investment in the measures that were in place when Storm Desmond hit.

"The Government's priority now is to ensure that people are safe and to co-ordinate the response, restoring power and transport networks and ensuring that communities get access to the support they need," said Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss.

Power firm Electricity North West said Monday that power was restored to about 60,000 of its customers in England since the storm hit and that 3,000 homes remained without power.

More heavy rain is expected in northern England and Scotland in the coming days.