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| Heavy rain and strong winds prompt UK flood warnings | Heavy rain and strong winds prompt UK flood warnings |
| (10 days later) | |
| Two spells of very heavy rain and winds of up to 80mph are expected to cause flooding and travel problems in some parts of the UK over the next few days. | Two spells of very heavy rain and winds of up to 80mph are expected to cause flooding and travel problems in some parts of the UK over the next few days. |
| Up to 7.5cm (3in) of rain is due to drench areas of south-west England, where many rivers and streams are already full because of melting snow and the weeks of soggy weather before the cold snap. | Up to 7.5cm (3in) of rain is due to drench areas of south-west England, where many rivers and streams are already full because of melting snow and the weeks of soggy weather before the cold snap. |
| Staff at the Environment Agency are particularly concerned that by Tuesday there could be quite serious flooding in Devon, Somerset and parts of south-east Wales. | Staff at the Environment Agency are particularly concerned that by Tuesday there could be quite serious flooding in Devon, Somerset and parts of south-east Wales. |
| The Met Office also has a severe weather warning in place for Scotland for later in the week, when very strong winds could cause structural damage. | The Met Office also has a severe weather warning in place for Scotland for later in the week, when very strong winds could cause structural damage. |
| Householders and businesspeople were mopping up over the weekend after rain and snow melt combined to cause flooding in Wales, north-east England, the Midlands and the Anglican region. | Householders and businesspeople were mopping up over the weekend after rain and snow melt combined to cause flooding in Wales, north-east England, the Midlands and the Anglican region. |
| A canoeist died on Sunday after becoming tangled in debris on the swollen river Arkle in the Yorkshire Dales. Mountain rescue teams and ambulance paramedics helped get the man out but could not save him. | A canoeist died on Sunday after becoming tangled in debris on the swollen river Arkle in the Yorkshire Dales. Mountain rescue teams and ambulance paramedics helped get the man out but could not save him. |
| There was a happier ending on the Somerset coast after a six-month-old baby boy was swept into Watchet harbour by strong winds. Dockmaster George Reeder, 63, dived in and pulled the pushchair and child to shore. The child was revived by a passerby, who administered CPR, and is understood to be doing well in hospital. | There was a happier ending on the Somerset coast after a six-month-old baby boy was swept into Watchet harbour by strong winds. Dockmaster George Reeder, 63, dived in and pulled the pushchair and child to shore. The child was revived by a passerby, who administered CPR, and is understood to be doing well in hospital. |
| The poor weather also caused problems on the roads. Sussex police reported there were 40 crashes in the early hours on Monday. More than 30 were the result of vehicles hitting black ice and sliding off the road. Eleven people were injured in a four-car crash on the M4 in south Wales on Sunday lunchtime. | The poor weather also caused problems on the roads. Sussex police reported there were 40 crashes in the early hours on Monday. More than 30 were the result of vehicles hitting black ice and sliding off the road. Eleven people were injured in a four-car crash on the M4 in south Wales on Sunday lunchtime. |
| By Monday lunchtime the Environment Agency had more than 50 flood warnings – meaning flooding is expected – and more than 200 alerts (flooding is possible) in place. This was down on the number issued on Sunday but a spokeswoman said the combination of snow melt, further heavy rain and spring tides threatened to cause more intense flooding than over the weekend. | By Monday lunchtime the Environment Agency had more than 50 flood warnings – meaning flooding is expected – and more than 200 alerts (flooding is possible) in place. This was down on the number issued on Sunday but a spokeswoman said the combination of snow melt, further heavy rain and spring tides threatened to cause more intense flooding than over the weekend. |
| Among rivers with multiple warnings on them were the river Soar in Leicestershire and the Dove in Derbyshire. There was also a warning in place for the Severn at Kempsey in Worcestershire, which flooded badly in November when defences failed, and for Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, a flooding hotspot. | Among rivers with multiple warnings on them were the river Soar in Leicestershire and the Dove in Derbyshire. There was also a warning in place for the Severn at Kempsey in Worcestershire, which flooded badly in November when defences failed, and for Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, a flooding hotspot. |
| Further south and west warnings were issued for areas including the Somerset Levels, which have been hit by a string of floods over the past year, and Dorset. There was also anxiety in areas of Devon, where flooding on rail-lines at the end of last year caused days of misery for train travellers. | Further south and west warnings were issued for areas including the Somerset Levels, which have been hit by a string of floods over the past year, and Dorset. There was also anxiety in areas of Devon, where flooding on rail-lines at the end of last year caused days of misery for train travellers. |
| The Met Office warned that more rain was approaching courtesy of a deep Atlantic depression. It has issued severe weather warnings for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. | The Met Office warned that more rain was approaching courtesy of a deep Atlantic depression. It has issued severe weather warnings for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. |
| On Monday a weather system was moving quickly across the UK, bringing wet and windy conditions to most areas. Between 0.5cm and 1.5cm of rain was expected to fall widely, with 2.5cm expected on the south-west side of some hills. | On Monday a weather system was moving quickly across the UK, bringing wet and windy conditions to most areas. Between 0.5cm and 1.5cm of rain was expected to fall widely, with 2.5cm expected on the south-west side of some hills. |
| A very deep area of low pressure is to pass close to the north-west part of the UK on Tuesday bringing another spell of wet and windy weather. Up to 3cm of rain is predicted widely and up to 5cm on some hills and mountains, along with strong and possibly gale-force winds on exposed coasts, moors and hills. A severe weather warning was in place for much of the south-west of England and Wales. | A very deep area of low pressure is to pass close to the north-west part of the UK on Tuesday bringing another spell of wet and windy weather. Up to 3cm of rain is predicted widely and up to 5cm on some hills and mountains, along with strong and possibly gale-force winds on exposed coasts, moors and hills. A severe weather warning was in place for much of the south-west of England and Wales. |
| On Tuesday night and into Wednesday there are likely to be very strong winds and some severe gales in Scotland. Gusts of up to 70mph are predicted inland and up to 80mph on coasts. The Met Office said exposed bridges were expected to be subject to restrictions and travel could be disrupted. | On Tuesday night and into Wednesday there are likely to be very strong winds and some severe gales in Scotland. Gusts of up to 70mph are predicted inland and up to 80mph on coasts. The Met Office said exposed bridges were expected to be subject to restrictions and travel could be disrupted. |
| It may be cold comfort for those affected by flooding this week but local flood defence schemes across the south-west have received a boost of £721,000. The south-west regional flood and coastal committee, which is made up of local authorities from across the region, will announce the list of projects it will support next month. | It may be cold comfort for those affected by flooding this week but local flood defence schemes across the south-west have received a boost of £721,000. The south-west regional flood and coastal committee, which is made up of local authorities from across the region, will announce the list of projects it will support next month. |
| The committee chairman, James Morrish, said: "The increase is a clear statement of the determination to address the backlog of flood defence needs in Devon, Cornwall, Plymouth, Torbay and the Isles of Scilly, particularly following the repeated flooding throughout 2012 which saw over 1,000 properties flooded in 200 locations." | The committee chairman, James Morrish, said: "The increase is a clear statement of the determination to address the backlog of flood defence needs in Devon, Cornwall, Plymouth, Torbay and the Isles of Scilly, particularly following the repeated flooding throughout 2012 which saw over 1,000 properties flooded in 200 locations." |
| By the end of the week – exactly 60 years on from the disastrous flood of 1953 that claimed hundreds of lives in the east of England – the Met Office believes the weather should have become calmer but it could be chilly again. | By the end of the week – exactly 60 years on from the disastrous flood of 1953 that claimed hundreds of lives in the east of England – the Met Office believes the weather should have become calmer but it could be chilly again. |
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