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| Flooding choice to protect 'town or country', says agency chief | Flooding choice to protect 'town or country', says agency chief |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| There is "no bottomless purse" for flood defences and "difficult but sensible choices about where and what to protect" must be made, the head of the Environment Agency has said. | There is "no bottomless purse" for flood defences and "difficult but sensible choices about where and what to protect" must be made, the head of the Environment Agency has said. |
| Chairman Lord Smith, writing in the Daily Telegraph, said "tricky questions" included "town or country, front rooms or farmland"? | Chairman Lord Smith, writing in the Daily Telegraph, said "tricky questions" included "town or country, front rooms or farmland"? |
| Coastal towns in south-west England have been left flooded. | Coastal towns in south-west England have been left flooded. |
| Meanwhile, forecasters are warning of further gales and heavy rain to come. | Meanwhile, forecasters are warning of further gales and heavy rain to come. |
| 'Extraordinary combination' | 'Extraordinary combination' |
| Strong winds, large waves and high tide have left parts of Cornwall flooded, including Looe, Fowey, Newlyn, Porthleven and Mevagissey. Devonport in Plymouth and Kingsbridge, Devon, are also flooded. | Strong winds, large waves and high tide have left parts of Cornwall flooded, including Looe, Fowey, Newlyn, Porthleven and Mevagissey. Devonport in Plymouth and Kingsbridge, Devon, are also flooded. |
| The Environment Agency, which covers England, has been accused of failing to dredge rivers in order to protect the Somerset Levels, which have been badly hit by flooding in recent weeks. | The Environment Agency, which covers England, has been accused of failing to dredge rivers in order to protect the Somerset Levels, which have been badly hit by flooding in recent weeks. |
| Villages such as Muchelney have been cut off for almost a month and about 11,500 hectares (28,420 acres) of the Levels are flooded. | Villages such as Muchelney have been cut off for almost a month and about 11,500 hectares (28,420 acres) of the Levels are flooded. |
| Dredging normally refers to increasing the depth of the river channel by removing silt that builds up over years. | Dredging normally refers to increasing the depth of the river channel by removing silt that builds up over years. |
| Last week Lord Smith said dredging would "probably make a small difference", adding: "It's not the comprehensive answer some people have been claiming it is." | Last week Lord Smith said dredging would "probably make a small difference", adding: "It's not the comprehensive answer some people have been claiming it is." |
| On Monday, he said the country had faced "an extraordinary combination of weather conditions over the past eight weeks". | On Monday, he said the country had faced "an extraordinary combination of weather conditions over the past eight weeks". |
| "Prolonged periods of heavy rain and gale-force winds have affected almost every part of England," he said. | "Prolonged periods of heavy rain and gale-force winds have affected almost every part of England," he said. |
| 'No quick fixes' | 'No quick fixes' |
| Lord Smith praised his agency's staff for "working the whole time to help communities at risk". | Lord Smith praised his agency's staff for "working the whole time to help communities at risk". |
| "They've been running pumping stations, erecting defences, issuing warnings and clearing blockages from rivers - often in the most challenging conditions," he said. | "They've been running pumping stations, erecting defences, issuing warnings and clearing blockages from rivers - often in the most challenging conditions," he said. |
| But he said there were "no quick fixes in the face of this kind of extreme rainfall". | But he said there were "no quick fixes in the face of this kind of extreme rainfall". |
| He said that, while agricultural land was important, government rules placed the highest priority on lives and homes, adding: "Most people would agree that this is the right approach. | He said that, while agricultural land was important, government rules placed the highest priority on lives and homes, adding: "Most people would agree that this is the right approach. |
| "But this involves tricky issues of policy and priority: town or country, front rooms or farmland?" he said. | "But this involves tricky issues of policy and priority: town or country, front rooms or farmland?" he said. |
| "Flood defences cost money; and how much should the taxpayer be prepared to spend on different places, communities and livelihoods - in Somerset, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, or East Anglia?" | "Flood defences cost money; and how much should the taxpayer be prepared to spend on different places, communities and livelihoods - in Somerset, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, or East Anglia?" |
| He added that more than one million homes had been defended over the past couple of months. | He added that more than one million homes had been defended over the past couple of months. |
| Meanwhile, Downing Street has called for an end to the Environment Agency's use of premium-rate phone helplines for flooding victims. | Meanwhile, Downing Street has called for an end to the Environment Agency's use of premium-rate phone helplines for flooding victims. |
| Homeowners calling the 0845 number pay up to 41p a minute, with the money going to a private firm. | Homeowners calling the 0845 number pay up to 41p a minute, with the money going to a private firm. |
| David Cameron's official spokesman said: "The prime minister is very clear that the use of premium rate lines should be scrapped as quickly as possible." | David Cameron's official spokesman said: "The prime minister is very clear that the use of premium rate lines should be scrapped as quickly as possible." |
| Forces on stand-by | Forces on stand-by |
| The Environment Agency says it is now running pumps 24 hours a day to drain the huge amounts of water on the Somerset Levels. | The Environment Agency says it is now running pumps 24 hours a day to drain the huge amounts of water on the Somerset Levels. |
| Police say flood-hit victims are being targeted by thieves. | Police say flood-hit victims are being targeted by thieves. |
| About 600 gallons of domestic heating oil was reported stolen from a farm in the Somerset village of Moorland, and two fire service quad bikes were taken from nearby Burrowbridge. | About 600 gallons of domestic heating oil was reported stolen from a farm in the Somerset village of Moorland, and two fire service quad bikes were taken from nearby Burrowbridge. |
| Prince Charles is expected to visit parts of the Somerset Levels on Tuesday. | Prince Charles is expected to visit parts of the Somerset Levels on Tuesday. |
| The Environment Agency has two severe flood warnings in place, meaning there is danger to life, for the Severn estuary, near Gloucester. | |
| About 70 flood warnings and almost 200 flood alerts are also in place in England and Wales. | |
| Along the Welsh coast, a clean-up operation is under way after strong winds and high tides over the weekend battered Aberystwyth seafront for a second time this year. | Along the Welsh coast, a clean-up operation is under way after strong winds and high tides over the weekend battered Aberystwyth seafront for a second time this year. |
| In Newgale, Pembrokeshire, police are investigating after a bus with 10 passengers was forced off the road by a large wave. | In Newgale, Pembrokeshire, police are investigating after a bus with 10 passengers was forced off the road by a large wave. |
| The people on board had to be rescued following the incident, which left the bus stranded in flood waters | The people on board had to be rescued following the incident, which left the bus stranded in flood waters |
| The Scottish Environment Protection Agency says there are 14 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, in Scotland, while there are three flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, in Tayside. | The Scottish Environment Protection Agency says there are 14 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, in Scotland, while there are three flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, in Tayside. |
| A search for a sea angler, missing off the Aberdeenshire coast since the early hours of Sunday, has been stood down. | A search for a sea angler, missing off the Aberdeenshire coast since the early hours of Sunday, has been stood down. |
| Rescue teams scoured the water and shoreline at Tangle-Ha, north of St Cyrus, until midnight, but no trace of the man was found. | Rescue teams scoured the water and shoreline at Tangle-Ha, north of St Cyrus, until midnight, but no trace of the man was found. |
| The Met Office said more rain was on the way over the next few days, which was particularly bad news for parts of southern England. | The Met Office said more rain was on the way over the next few days, which was particularly bad news for parts of southern England. |
| It also said it was likely the weather would remain "very unsettled" for the rest of February. | It also said it was likely the weather would remain "very unsettled" for the rest of February. |
| The Environment Agency said the flood risk would continue over the next week. | The Environment Agency said the flood risk would continue over the next week. |