This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/6910438.stm

The article has changed 18 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Flood fears remain as rain eases Flood victims remain in shelters
(about 1 hour later)
Some parts of England will be at "serious risk of flooding" on Sunday, says the Environment Agency. More than 1,000 people have spent a second night in emergency shelters after their homes were hit by floods.
There are eight severe flood warnings in place for Sunday, covering Oxfordshire, Berkshire and parts of London. Large areas of Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire are still under water.
More than 750 people stranded in cars, caravans, houses and boats were rescued from flooding in Worcestershire. And there are eight severe flood warnings, covering Oxfordshire, Berkshire and parts of London.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has praised the emergency services and promised money and help for residents. The Environment Agency says it could not have prepared for the scale of the flooding. But critics say ministers failed to prepare for the crisis.
Sutton and East Surrey Water has warned 80,000 households and businesses in Sutton to boil tap water before drinking it after the firm discovered rain had leaked into a tank of water which had gone out to customers. The main developments include:
Operations director Mike Hegarty said: "The water is perfectly safe to use for other purposes, including washing, bathing and toilet flushing."
    class="bulletList">
  • Parts of Worcestershire are under six feet of water. In Evesham, more than 30 guests and staff are still trapped on the upper floors of the Northwick Hotel
Meanwhile, Oxfordshire is preparing for more localised flooding by closing roads and issuing residents with sandbags to protect their homes.
  • The Gloucestershire town of Tewkesbury remains almost completely cut off - and Severn Trent Water is warning householders in the north of the county that water supplies could run out by early Sunday evening because a treatment plant has been flooded
  • Sutton and East Surrey Water has warned 80,000 households and businesses in Sutton to boil tap water before drinking it after the firm discovered rain had leaked into a tank of water which had gone out to customers.
    • Floodline
    Meanwhile Baroness Young, the agency's chief executive, told the BBC: "It would have been difficult for even the best planned flood defences to withstand [the floods]. The forecasting and warning was as good as it could have been."
    She said following Met Office predictions early last week there had been extensive warnings about the floods on radio and television as well as on the Environment Agency website and telephone "floodline" on 0845 988 1188.
    YOUR PICTURES Your images of flooding from around the countryYOUR PICTURES Your images of flooding from around the country
    Baroness Young urged people to continue checking these information sources and to plan how they would cope if forced to evacuate their home.
    She added that the difficulty had been in dealing with the unprecedented scale of the flooding.
    David Cameron, the Conservative leader, said "concerted action" was needed from the government, particularly to help the uninsured.
    And Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Chris Huhne said the government had been "too slow to wake up to the potentially devastating effects of extreme rainfall overwhelming drains and sewers".
    Warm clothing
    Oxfordshire is preparing for more localised flooding by closing roads and issuing residents with sandbags to protect their homes.
    John Parry, of Oxfordshire County Council, said people should "consider moving upstairs, or consider staying with family or friends".John Parry, of Oxfordshire County Council, said people should "consider moving upstairs, or consider staying with family or friends".
    And police have advised anyone travelling through Hereford and Worcestershire to pack supplies and warm clothing as more rain is predicted.And police have advised anyone travelling through Hereford and Worcestershire to pack supplies and warm clothing as more rain is predicted.
    Around 100 people in Worcestershire had to be airlifted to safety by the Royal Air Force, while more than 1,000 spent the night in emergency rest centres.Around 100 people in Worcestershire had to be airlifted to safety by the Royal Air Force, while more than 1,000 spent the night in emergency rest centres.
    Despite the heightened risk of flooding to central and southern England, the Met Office does not have any severe weather warnings in place.Despite the heightened risk of flooding to central and southern England, the Met Office does not have any severe weather warnings in place.
    BBC forecaster Chris Fawkes said parts of the country will experience scattered showers on Sunday, but there will be plenty of sunshine, and patchy rain will appear in Wales during the morning.BBC forecaster Chris Fawkes said parts of the country will experience scattered showers on Sunday, but there will be plenty of sunshine, and patchy rain will appear in Wales during the morning.
    There will be also outbreaks of rain across the north east of Scotland, which could lead to heavier bursts.There will be also outbreaks of rain across the north east of Scotland, which could lead to heavier bursts.
    HAVE YOUR SAY No wonder there's so much flooding. The roadside drains are simply not cleaned out until people actually complain to their councils. Craig, Bradford Send us your experiences Lincoln flood warnings
    The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said the final bill for damage and disruption was expected to run into "hundreds of millions".The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said the final bill for damage and disruption was expected to run into "hundreds of millions".
    Kelly Ostler, of the ABI, told the BBC reports of householders not being able to get insurance unless they protected their homes against flooding were inaccurate.Kelly Ostler, of the ABI, told the BBC reports of householders not being able to get insurance unless they protected their homes against flooding were inaccurate.
    "We have - the industry that is - has a statement of principles with the government that says any home that has insurance at the moment, household and buildings insurance, for flooding and they have maintained flood defences by the government in the area, then they will always have flood cover.""We have - the industry that is - has a statement of principles with the government that says any home that has insurance at the moment, household and buildings insurance, for flooding and they have maintained flood defences by the government in the area, then they will always have flood cover."
    Emergency rescuesEmergency rescues
    Hereford and Worcester Fire Service, which received more than 2,000 calls and rescued more than 750 people, said by Sunday things had begun to calm down.Hereford and Worcester Fire Service, which received more than 2,000 calls and rescued more than 750 people, said by Sunday things had begun to calm down.
    HAVE YOUR SAY No wonder there's so much flooding. The roadside drains are simply not cleaned out until people actually complain to their councils. Craig, Bradford Send us your experiences Lincoln flood warnings
    Mike Redfern, Assistant Chief Fire Officer in Hereford and Worcester, said: "We've got flood watches, flood alerts, on all the main river systems and we're watching that very closely," adding that the situation was now "fairly well under control".Mike Redfern, Assistant Chief Fire Officer in Hereford and Worcester, said: "We've got flood watches, flood alerts, on all the main river systems and we're watching that very closely," adding that the situation was now "fairly well under control".
    Elsewhere, Gloucestershire Police appealed to people not to go into the centres of Gloucester and Cheltenham on Saturday evening for their own safety.
    The Highways Agency said by Saturday evening motorways and trunk roads were no longer affected by flood-related incidents.The Highways Agency said by Saturday evening motorways and trunk roads were no longer affected by flood-related incidents.
    However, many rail services have been cancelled and some smaller roads remain closed.However, many rail services have been cancelled and some smaller roads remain closed.
    Prime Minister Gordon Brown praised the "superb" efforts of the emergency services and "huge contribution" of the Armed Forces to the rescue effort. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the flooding had been "an emergency that no-one could have predicted".
    He also said the flooding had been "an emergency that no-one could have predicted".
    The main developments include:
    • Lifeboat crews rescued holidaymakers stranded on top of their caravans in Droitwich, Kidderminster, Wick, Pershore and Hawford
  • Lincolnshire County Council said the flooding was worse on Saturday than Friday, with widespread road flooding across the county, including Louth and Horncastle
  • About 70 homes and shops in Buckingham have been flooded following rising levels on the River Ouse. More than 2,500 sandbags have been used to try to limit the damage to property.