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| UK floods: More weather warnings for south and west | UK floods: More weather warnings for south and west |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More rain, high winds and high tides are set to hit the south and west of the UK, causing further flooding. | More rain, high winds and high tides are set to hit the south and west of the UK, causing further flooding. |
| The Environment Agency has issued two severe flood warnings - meaning "danger to life" - for north Devon, and scores of lower-level warnings and alerts. | |
| The Met Office is warning of heavy rain in southern England - including the already flooded Somerset Levels - south Wales and parts of Northern Ireland. | The Met Office is warning of heavy rain in southern England - including the already flooded Somerset Levels - south Wales and parts of Northern Ireland. |
| This January is already the wettest on record for many southern areas. | This January is already the wettest on record for many southern areas. |
| A Met Office amber rain warning - meaning "be prepared" - has been issued for the Somerset Levels and is valid until 03:00 GMT on Saturday. | A Met Office amber rain warning - meaning "be prepared" - has been issued for the Somerset Levels and is valid until 03:00 GMT on Saturday. |
| The warning said the public should be prepared for "significant disruption from flooding across the Somerset Levels", where large areas are already under water. | The warning said the public should be prepared for "significant disruption from flooding across the Somerset Levels", where large areas are already under water. |
| Most of southern England and south Wales, as well as County Antrim, County Armagh and County Down in Northern Ireland, are subject to a lower-level yellow warning throughout Friday until 03:00 on Saturday. | Most of southern England and south Wales, as well as County Antrim, County Armagh and County Down in Northern Ireland, are subject to a lower-level yellow warning throughout Friday until 03:00 on Saturday. |
| "A further area of heavy rain will spread eastwards across the UK on Friday, clearing the southeast of England during the early hours of Saturday," the warning said. | "A further area of heavy rain will spread eastwards across the UK on Friday, clearing the southeast of England during the early hours of Saturday," the warning said. |
| "20-30mm (1in) of rain will fall quite widely, with around 40mm on some high ground in the southwest of England and south Wales. The heavy rain will be accompanied by strong to gale force winds." | "20-30mm (1in) of rain will fall quite widely, with around 40mm on some high ground in the southwest of England and south Wales. The heavy rain will be accompanied by strong to gale force winds." |
| Meanwhile, a small number of flood warnings have been issued in Scotland. | Meanwhile, a small number of flood warnings have been issued in Scotland. |
| The Environment Agency said places "at risk" from high tides and winds over the weekend included coastal and tidal areas of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Bristol and south Gloucestershire. | The Environment Agency said places "at risk" from high tides and winds over the weekend included coastal and tidal areas of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Bristol and south Gloucestershire. |
| Many other coastal areas of England could also be affected by the wind, rain and high tides from Friday through to Sunday, it added. | Many other coastal areas of England could also be affected by the wind, rain and high tides from Friday through to Sunday, it added. |
| Speaking after a meeting of Cobra, the government's emergency committee, on Thursday evening, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson urged people to "pay close attention" to the latest flood and weather warnings. | Speaking after a meeting of Cobra, the government's emergency committee, on Thursday evening, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson urged people to "pay close attention" to the latest flood and weather warnings. |
| Cobra is due to meet again on Friday. | Cobra is due to meet again on Friday. |
| In Wales, Aberystwyth University's seafront halls of residence are to be evacuated until Monday. Buildings there have been evacuated several times in recent weeks. | In Wales, Aberystwyth University's seafront halls of residence are to be evacuated until Monday. Buildings there have been evacuated several times in recent weeks. |
| Flood defences on part of the Welsh coast, washed away by recent storms, have been reinforced with bags of slate set down by a helicopter. | Flood defences on part of the Welsh coast, washed away by recent storms, have been reinforced with bags of slate set down by a helicopter. |
| In the Somerset Levels, 25 sq miles (65 sq km) have been flooded and the Environment Agency said it was running pumps 24 hours a day to drain the water. | In the Somerset Levels, 25 sq miles (65 sq km) have been flooded and the Environment Agency said it was running pumps 24 hours a day to drain the water. |
| It said 62 pumps were removing about 1.5 million tonnes of water - equivalent to 600 Olympic-sized swimming pools - each day. | It said 62 pumps were removing about 1.5 million tonnes of water - equivalent to 600 Olympic-sized swimming pools - each day. |
| Military planners met council officials in Somerset on Thursday, but the county council decided Army help was not needed. | Military planners met council officials in Somerset on Thursday, but the county council decided Army help was not needed. |
| On the BBC's Question Time on Thursday, shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry accused the government of making "policy by photo opportunity" after two soldiers were pictured assessing the scene in Somerset. | On the BBC's Question Time on Thursday, shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry accused the government of making "policy by photo opportunity" after two soldiers were pictured assessing the scene in Somerset. |
| "The prime minister said he was going to call in the Army and the Army arrive and they go home again," she said. | "The prime minister said he was going to call in the Army and the Army arrive and they go home again," she said. |
| Somerset farmer Michael Eavis, founder of the Glastonbury Festival, said flooding had become a yearly problem and dredging work must now be done. | Somerset farmer Michael Eavis, founder of the Glastonbury Festival, said flooding had become a yearly problem and dredging work must now be done. |
| He said the alternative was to "abandon the farmland" to "wading birds". | He said the alternative was to "abandon the farmland" to "wading birds". |
| The Environment Agency said dredging of rivers in Somerset would not begin until flood water had drained and river banks were safe. | The Environment Agency said dredging of rivers in Somerset would not begin until flood water had drained and river banks were safe. |
| The Prince of Wales is expected to visit flood-affected parts of the county on Tuesday. | The Prince of Wales is expected to visit flood-affected parts of the county on Tuesday. |
| The visit had been planned so the prince could see how businesses and residents coped with the 2012 flooding, but he will now see the latest problems for himself. | The visit had been planned so the prince could see how businesses and residents coped with the 2012 flooding, but he will now see the latest problems for himself. |
| Up to and including 28 January, the South East and central southern England had a record 175.2mm (6.9in) of rainfall in January - beating the previous record of 158.2mm for the same parts of England set in 1988. | Up to and including 28 January, the South East and central southern England had a record 175.2mm (6.9in) of rainfall in January - beating the previous record of 158.2mm for the same parts of England set in 1988. |
| Across south-west England and south Wales, the 222.6 mm (8.8in) of rainfall up to midnight on Tuesday meant January was already the fifth-wettest. | Across south-west England and south Wales, the 222.6 mm (8.8in) of rainfall up to midnight on Tuesday meant January was already the fifth-wettest. |
| For the UK as a whole, 164.6 mm (6.5in) of rain has fallen so far this month - 35% above the long-term average. | For the UK as a whole, 164.6 mm (6.5in) of rain has fallen so far this month - 35% above the long-term average. |
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