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| High tides and winds threaten more flooding | High tides and winds threaten more flooding |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| High tides and gale force winds could bring more flooding to parts of south-west England and the Midlands, the Environment Agency has warned. | High tides and gale force winds could bring more flooding to parts of south-west England and the Midlands, the Environment Agency has warned. |
| It has five severe flood warnings - meaning a danger to life - three on the Severn estuary near Gloucester and two on the north Cornwall coast. | It has five severe flood warnings - meaning a danger to life - three on the Severn estuary near Gloucester and two on the north Cornwall coast. |
| Lesser warnings affect many parts of Britain including western Wales and the flood-hit Somerset Levels. | Lesser warnings affect many parts of Britain including western Wales and the flood-hit Somerset Levels. |
| About 150 properties in the Midlands, South West and South East have flooded. | |
| Cobra, the government's emergency committee, is currently meeting. | |
| Discussions on Friday evening, in what was the 16th Cobra meeting since storms hit Britain in December, were chaired by Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, who urged residents to "listen to all the advice being issued". | Discussions on Friday evening, in what was the 16th Cobra meeting since storms hit Britain in December, were chaired by Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, who urged residents to "listen to all the advice being issued". |
| "Environment Agency staff are working day and night, alongside the emergency services and other local specialist agencies, to get communities ready for the bad weather," he said. | "Environment Agency staff are working day and night, alongside the emergency services and other local specialist agencies, to get communities ready for the bad weather," he said. |
| A band of heavy rain swept across the south west, west Wales and southern England on Friday evening bringing up to 30mm (1.2in) to already-saturated ground. | A band of heavy rain swept across the south west, west Wales and southern England on Friday evening bringing up to 30mm (1.2in) to already-saturated ground. |
| Kate Marks, the Environment Agency's flood risk manager, said: "A low pressure system combining with high tides brings a risk of coastal flooding to many parts of England. | Kate Marks, the Environment Agency's flood risk manager, said: "A low pressure system combining with high tides brings a risk of coastal flooding to many parts of England. |
| "The risk is highest for south-west England, although many coastal areas will be affected and the public should stay away from coastlines and tidal areas and not drive through flood water. | "The risk is highest for south-west England, although many coastal areas will be affected and the public should stay away from coastlines and tidal areas and not drive through flood water. |
| "At the same time the risk of river flooding continues for the southern counties as with the ground already saturated, rivers are very responsive to rainfall. Groundwater levels also remain high in southern counties." | "At the same time the risk of river flooding continues for the southern counties as with the ground already saturated, rivers are very responsive to rainfall. Groundwater levels also remain high in southern counties." |
| The Environment Agency said gales and waves could combine to cause possible overtopping of flood defences and sea walls, property flooding and travel disruption over the weekend. | The Environment Agency said gales and waves could combine to cause possible overtopping of flood defences and sea walls, property flooding and travel disruption over the weekend. |
| BBC weather presenter Tomasz Schafernaker said the bad weather would peak in the afternoon, with gales bringing showers along the west of the country, from the tip of Cornwall, through the Bristol Channel and into north-west England. | BBC weather presenter Tomasz Schafernaker said the bad weather would peak in the afternoon, with gales bringing showers along the west of the country, from the tip of Cornwall, through the Bristol Channel and into north-west England. |
| He said the gales would migrate eastwards, affecting the Midlands and parts of northern England. | He said the gales would migrate eastwards, affecting the Midlands and parts of northern England. |
| Winds would gust at up to 70mph (112km/h) in west Wales and south-west England, he added. | Winds would gust at up to 70mph (112km/h) in west Wales and south-west England, he added. |
| Overnight the bad weather will quieten down, he said, with the country experiencing better weather on Sunday. | Overnight the bad weather will quieten down, he said, with the country experiencing better weather on Sunday. |
| There are also about 155 flood warnings and 290 flood alerts in England and Wales with parts of south-east and north-west England and the Yorkshire and Hull coast all said to be at risk. | There are also about 155 flood warnings and 290 flood alerts in England and Wales with parts of south-east and north-west England and the Yorkshire and Hull coast all said to be at risk. |
| Around the country: | Around the country: |
| In Europe, areas of Italy and France are on flood alert as heavy rain brings chaos. Hundreds of people have been evacuated from homes in Pisa, Italy, while widespread flooding is expected on the French Atlantic coast. | In Europe, areas of Italy and France are on flood alert as heavy rain brings chaos. Hundreds of people have been evacuated from homes in Pisa, Italy, while widespread flooding is expected on the French Atlantic coast. |
| Meanwhile, Prime Minister David Cameron has expressed "enormous sympathy" for the people who have been living on the Somerset Levels where 25 sq miles (65 sq km) have been flooded for several weeks. | Meanwhile, Prime Minister David Cameron has expressed "enormous sympathy" for the people who have been living on the Somerset Levels where 25 sq miles (65 sq km) have been flooded for several weeks. |
| Writing in the Western Daily Press, Mr Cameron said: "I know that a great deal of work has been done to try and alleviate the situation but it is not acceptable for people to have to live like this almost four weeks later - and I am not ruling out any option to get this problem sorted out. | Writing in the Western Daily Press, Mr Cameron said: "I know that a great deal of work has been done to try and alleviate the situation but it is not acceptable for people to have to live like this almost four weeks later - and I am not ruling out any option to get this problem sorted out. |
| "The government is doing everything we can to help people recover as quickly as possible where they have suffered damage to their homes and businesses." | "The government is doing everything we can to help people recover as quickly as possible where they have suffered damage to their homes and businesses." |
| The government and the Environment Agency have been criticised by MPs and local councils in Somerset, where the agency said it was now running pumps 24 hours a day to drain the water. | The government and the Environment Agency have been criticised by MPs and local councils in Somerset, where the agency said it was now running pumps 24 hours a day to drain the water. |
| Personnel from all three branches of the armed forces are currently on stand-by to help villages cut off by the floods. | Personnel from all three branches of the armed forces are currently on stand-by to help villages cut off by the floods. |
| But the Environment Agency has said dredging of rivers in Somerset would not begin until flood water had drained and river banks were safe. | But the Environment Agency has said dredging of rivers in Somerset would not begin until flood water had drained and river banks were safe. |
| The Met Office has issued its own warnings of heavy rain and high winds of up to 60mph for many southern and western areas. | The Met Office has issued its own warnings of heavy rain and high winds of up to 60mph for many southern and western areas. |
| "Winds will increase on Saturday, with gusts widely to 50 to 60 mph, and locally to around 70 mph in exposed parts of the west," it said. | "Winds will increase on Saturday, with gusts widely to 50 to 60 mph, and locally to around 70 mph in exposed parts of the west," it said. |
| "Additionally, large waves could lead to overtopping along some coastlines." | "Additionally, large waves could lead to overtopping along some coastlines." |
| The latest warnings come at the end of a month which has already become the wettest January on record for parts of southern England. | The latest warnings come at the end of a month which has already become the wettest January on record for parts of southern England. |
| 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. |
| Are you in the South West or coastal areas? Have you been affected by flooding? You can share your experiences and pictures with us by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject heading High Tide. When sending us pictures, video or eyewitness accounts at no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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