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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Gales and flash floods predicted | Gales and flash floods predicted |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Many parts of the UK face flash floods and travel chaos as heavy rain and gale-force winds start to take effect, the BBC weather service has warned. | |
| Storms have been predicted in western England in some of those areas badly affected by last summer's floods, including Gloucester. | |
| Flood warnings have been issued along the River Severn between Worcester, Tewkesbury and Gloucester. | |
| Defences are being built in a number of villages and cities. | |
| The BBC's Jon Kay said "nervous" residents in Gloucester had moved all their possessions upstairs, and were using sandbags and rolled-up carpets to protect their homes. | |
| He added many families had only just returned home after last summer's floods. | |
| 'Evacuation procedures' | |
| Kathy Williams, a county councillor who lives in Gloucester, told the BBC local people were being advised to prepare. | |
| "We've asked people to be resilient and look after their properties by sandbagging them, moving their property upstairs and getting ready for any evacuation procedures that we have to carry out," she said. | |
| The storms are expected to drive in from the west to southern England and Wales during Tuesday. | The storms are expected to drive in from the west to southern England and Wales during Tuesday. |
| Rain and gale-force winds are predicted to hit the rest of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland later on. | Rain and gale-force winds are predicted to hit the rest of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland later on. |
| Roads and train tracks, even in city centres, face the prospect of being swamped, the BBC said. | Roads and train tracks, even in city centres, face the prospect of being swamped, the BBC said. |
| Tomasz Schafernaker, a BBC weather forecaster, said that flash floods could be expected, even in London's underpasses, because of the volume of rain overwhelming drainage systems. | |
| Flood watches | |
| The Met Office predicted about 25mm of rain would fall in some areas. | The Met Office predicted about 25mm of rain would fall in some areas. |
| But Mr Schafernaker said the exact location of potential floodings was hard to predict. | But Mr Schafernaker said the exact location of potential floodings was hard to predict. |
| "That's the million dollar question that we'd like to know in advance," he said. | |
| The forecaster said the strongest winds were likely to hit Dover and the Dover Strait, where severe gale force levels are predicted. | The forecaster said the strongest winds were likely to hit Dover and the Dover Strait, where severe gale force levels are predicted. |
| The Environment Agency has eight flood warnings in place and 61 flood watches. | |
| The agency said it expected the number of flood warnings to increase as the bad weather crosses Britain. | The agency said it expected the number of flood warnings to increase as the bad weather crosses Britain. |
| A spokeswoman said people in areas where warnings are in place should take action against potential flooding of homes and businesses. | |
| The agency advised people to continually check the flood information section of the Environment Agency website, which is updated every 15 minutes. | |
| Do you live in one of the areas where weather warnings are in place? How are you preparing to protect your home or business? Please use the form below to tell us about how you are being affected by the severe weather. | Do you live in one of the areas where weather warnings are in place? How are you preparing to protect your home or business? Please use the form below to tell us about how you are being affected by the severe weather. |
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