British inspectors carry out safety checks on bridges in flooding-hit area

LONDON, Nov. 22 -- British army experts and structural engineers were carrying out an urgent investigation into the safety of all 1,800 bridges in Cumbria, a county in North-West England after floods caused several to collapse, Britain's Sky News reported on Sunday.

Inspectors closed two more bridges Saturday -- Station Road Bridge in Keswick and Workington Bridge -- meaning 13 have now been shut across the county after six bridges have already collapsed.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has pledged another 1 million pounds (1.6 million U.S. dollars) to help communities in Cumbria.

"I have decided we will increase the amount of resources to the community," he said during a visit to some of the worst-hit areas of the country Saturday, adding that "We will give an extra 1 million pounds (1.6 million dollars) so immediate support can be given. We will do everything we can to support the local community in its hour of need."

Brown paid tribute to policeman Bill Barker who lost his life on Friday when a bridge was swept away in the coastal town of Workington.

The British national weather service Met office said the last few days have seen heavy rain affecting parts of north-west Britain, which was caused by an Atlantic weather front becoming almost stationary across northern Ireland, Cumbria and south-west Scotland.

There are currently 19 flood warnings in force across south-western and northern parts of England, Scotland and Wales.

A canoeist died on a flooded river in Devon and a woman has gone missing near a river in Brecon, South Wales.

Police said around 20,000 flood defense bags will be handed out in Cockermouth and Keswick on Sunday.