Risk of severe flooding as more heavy rain hits UK

25 November 2012 Last updated at 00:52 GMT

Severe flood warnings are now in place after more heavy rain and strong winds hit already saturated parts of the UK.

• UK set for more stormy weather Watch
• Warning as heavy rain moves in
• River flooding 'likely' in Devon
• Residents warned of more floods 25 November 2012 Last updated at 00:50 GMT

  
  

  River levels have now dropped in Millbrook, Cornwall
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  Related Stories

  • Warning as heavy rain moves in
  • River flooding 'likely' in Devon
  • Residents warned of more floods
  Severe flood warnings are in place as saturated parts of the UK are hit by more heavy rain and strong winds.
  In some areas of Cornwall people have been told to leave their homes as floodwater and torrential rain caused "serious threats to life and property".
  Severe flood warnings have been issued in Polperro, Helston, Perranporth and parts of the River Fowey.
  The Environment Agency has more than 100 flood warnings and about 200 flood alerts in place in England and Wales.
  And the Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for heavy rain.
  
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  Weather information

  From the BBC:
  

  • BBC Weather
  • BBC Travel News
  • BBC Local News

  Elsewhere:
  

  • Met Office weather warnings
  • Environment Agency flood warnings
  • Scottish Environment Protection Agency flood warnings
  Severe flood warnings mean severe flooding and danger to life. Flood warnings mean people should take action because flooding is expected, while flood alerts indicate people should prepare for possible flooding.
• A woman is trapped under a fallen tree in Paris Street, Exeter
• "Rest centres" have been set up for residents in the villages facing severe warnings. But river levels around Millbrook have dropped and a rest centre opened there has since been closed
• Roads have been closed across the region due to flooding. Exmouth in Devon has been cut off, with the A376 closed by police
• The M5 is closed southbound between the junctions for Taunton and Wellington, while the M48 is closed in both directions due to flooding between J2 M48 Severn Bridge and M4 J23
• The RNLI's south west flood rescue team have been asked to assist the emergency services in Exeter, Devon, with two inshore lifeboats
• National Rail said there were delays between Newton Abbot and Exeter St Davids due to flooding and a landslip. The replacement buses have been cancelled on some routes
• Network Rail said trains were likely to be disrupted between Exeter, Taunton and Bristol Temple Meads until Monday
• A body thought to be that of a man who fell into a canal in fog in Watford has been found

Emergency services, rescue crews and the Environment Agency met Cornwall council bosses during Saturday evening in a bid to spread the message about the danger to life and property.
Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman Ian Walls said: "Rest centres have been set up overnight, for people who need to leave their homes and have nowhere else safe to go.
"I'm not sure how much sleep they will get, but it is a way of keeping them safe. I don't want to overstate it, but when there is a real danger to life - as there can be with just a foot of floodwater - then action needs to be taken."
Alan Crockford, a pub landlord in Polperro, said there had been warnings but "nobody knew it would get this bad".

He said: "I was actually in my house and I heard a roar, and just looked outside the window and that was the first bit of water that just, just came down the hill, like a river running straight down the road.
"We were given warnings from Floodline, and they just said like to take care, we were never given any firm warning that you had to evacuate and no one knew to expect it this bad."
Defences shored up The Met Office has been forecasting heavy rain and strong winds across all parts of the country over the weekend.

Heavy rain and strong winds are expected to bring more flooding across parts of England and Wales

The Environment Agency said strong winds would increase the risk of flash flooding as drainage channels were likely to become blocked with wind-blown debris.
"The rain will spread north and east, increasing flood risk in north-east and north-west England on Sunday. The picture remains unsettled for the start of next week," a spokesman said.
John Curtin, head of incident management at the Environment Agency, said: "We would urge people to continue to be prepared for flooding, sign up for Environment Agency flood warnings, keep up to date with the latest situation and stay away from dangerous flood water."
Strong winds BBC forecasters said south west of England had seen between one and two inches of rain (25mm to 50mm) during Saturday evening, but the worst had passed. It would now be dry for a time with further showers into Sunday morning.
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More details from BBC Weather

Strong winds of between 60mph and 70mph could also whip the south of England and East Anglia in the early hours of Sunday. The weather system bringing the weather will move into northern England and southern Scotland on Sunday.

BBC weather forecaster Chris Fawkes said: "The flood warnings are a legacy of the really heavy rain we've had already so far this week.
"The rivers have been doing what rivers do best, flowing down hill, taking all that excess water away, but they've not managed to clear the backlog. That's why we've got flood warnings in place right now."
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson warned people to be vigilant.
He said: "I would like to warn everybody that flood water is dangerous.
"More rain is forecast over the next few days and it's very easy to leave one's cosy home and just get struck by water and not realise how dangerous it is."
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service have rescued three people from a car stuck in flood water in Mulchelney, Langport.
A 90-year-old woman was rescued after being stranded in her flooded home in North Curry, near Taunton.
On Thursday, a man died in floods after he became trapped in his car under a bridge in Chew Stoke near Bath.
COPY http://www.bbc.co.uk/