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UK sees further flooding amid storms and high tides UK sees further flooding amid storms and high tides
(about 2 hours later)
High tides and strong winds have brought flooding to Wales and western England as officials warn of a continuing threat in parts of the UK. High tides and strong winds have brought flooding to Wales, Scotland and western England as officials warn of a continuing threat in parts of the UK.
There are currently eight severe flood warnings - meaning "danger to life" - for Gloucestershire, Devon, Dorset and south, west and north Wales. There are currently seven severe flood warnings - meaning "danger to life" - for Gloucestershire, Dorset and Wales.
A tidal surge is due in Scotland, while in Wales, people are trapped in homes. With more flooding expected at high tide later on Friday, the emergency services have urged the public to stay away from coastal areas.
A tidal surge caused flooding in Scotland.
In Wales, people had to be rescued and some were trapped in their homes.
In Northern Ireland, high tides and strong winds caused some flooding in coastal areas but the tide peaked without any major flooding in Belfast.
Ahead of high tide on Friday morning, the Environment Agency issued more than 20 severe flood warnings - mainly for south-west England, with areas of Devon and Cornwall expected to be the worst affected areas.
There were high tides and flooding in the streets but Tom Mansell, a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) divisional operations manager and flood rescue team leader, said the situation so far had been better than expected.
"There has been flooding in places like Looe, Kingsbridge and Salcombe but it is not as bad as we had been expecting," he said.
Mr Mansell reiterated messages from the emergency services and the Environment Agency, that the biggest danger is when people go to the coast to look.
"They don't understand how dangerous the sea can be," he said. "We would say please, please keep away from this water."
Meanwhile, the Environment Agency has confirmed jobs in flood protection will be cut as part of a major restructure.Meanwhile, the Environment Agency has confirmed jobs in flood protection will be cut as part of a major restructure.
About 1,500 jobs are to be lost at the agency although it is not clear how many flood-related posts will go.About 1,500 jobs are to be lost at the agency although it is not clear how many flood-related posts will go.
A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesman said that while they were spending £2.3bn tackling the risk of flooding and coastal erosion, the agency was making its own choices about "how best to use their resources".A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesman said that while they were spending £2.3bn tackling the risk of flooding and coastal erosion, the agency was making its own choices about "how best to use their resources".
'Cobra meeting''Cobra meeting'
The agency has issued around 400 lower-level flood alerts and warnings across England and Wales. The agency has issued around 350 lower-level flood alerts and warnings across England and Wales.
The remaining severe flood warnings relate to areas in Dorset, the River Severn in Gloucestershire and coastal areas of Wales.
And the Met Office has warned of rain and wind in Scotland and Northern Ireland.And the Met Office has warned of rain and wind in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is chairing the government's emergencies committee Cobra to discuss the weather situation. Environment Secretary Owen Paterson chaired the government's emergencies committee Cobra to discuss the weather situation.
Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "I'm ensuring that all is being done to help with the floods. There'll be a Cobra meeting shortly and regular updates from @EnvAgency." BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said the committee met for about an hour for an update on the situation.
The severe flood warnings relate to the coasts of Gwynedd, Flintshire, Devon and Cornwall and the River Severn in Gloucestershire and Newport. The meeting was told 3,500km (2,170 miles) of coastal flood defences were tested by the overnight storms and 130,000 homes were protected.
Tom Mansell, RNLI divisional operations manager and flood rescue team leader, said that despite flooding in places like Looe, Kingsbridge and Salcombe, the situation so far had been "better than expected". Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted that he is ensuring that flood help is fully in place.
"This is coastal flooding that we are expecting," he said. "Such areas are reasonably used to this but the danger is really where people are going down to have a look.
"They don't understand how dangerous the sea can be."
In other developments:In other developments:
The Environment Agency and Coastguard have asked people to stay away from coastal areas due to the risk of being swept out to sea.
Some travel is disrupted on Friday, including:
Most airports and train companies are not currently warning passengers of expected disruption.
Numerous roads have been flooded in recent days and the AA said on Thursday that it had been to 1,500 call-outs from stranded drivers since 23 December.
Thousands of homes have suffered power cuts due to the recent storms, with some cut off for several days, while many properties have been flooded following bad weather during the Christmas period.Thousands of homes have suffered power cuts due to the recent storms, with some cut off for several days, while many properties have been flooded following bad weather during the Christmas period.
Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution have announced compensation arrangements for those affected by power cuts over Christmas.Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution have announced compensation arrangements for those affected by power cuts over Christmas.
"We are extending our goodwill payments so that any customer who was without electricity for any time on Christmas Day, regardless of the duration of the power cut, will be guaranteed £75," the company said."We are extending our goodwill payments so that any customer who was without electricity for any time on Christmas Day, regardless of the duration of the power cut, will be guaranteed £75," the company said.
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