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| Renewed flooding hits coastal towns in Devon and Cornwall | Renewed flooding hits coastal towns in Devon and Cornwall |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Several coastal towns in south-west England have been hit by fresh flooding, disrupting business and severing road and rail links. | Several coastal towns in south-west England have been hit by fresh flooding, disrupting business and severing road and rail links. |
| Cornwall Council said there had been "a severe amount of coastal damage" and the Environment Agency warned of extreme danger on the Cornish coast. | Cornwall Council said there had been "a severe amount of coastal damage" and the Environment Agency warned of extreme danger on the Cornish coast. |
| On the Somerset levels, thousands of hectares of land remain under water. | On the Somerset levels, thousands of hectares of land remain under water. |
| Meanwhile, a cheaper helpline for flooding victims has been opened for calls. | |
| The prime minister had called for an end to the Environment Agency's use of premium rate numbers. | |
| The new Floodline number - 0345 9881188 - was released after complaints that callers were being charged up to 41p a minute to call the existing Environment Agency helpline, with the money going to a private company. | |
| David Cameron later tweeted that he was "pleased" the number had been introduced. | |
| It comes as Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said the government was spending £100,000 a week extra to pump water in Somerset. | |
| Mr Paterson, who was questioned by MPs about the government's handling of the crisis, said 7,500 properties had been flooded since the start of December. | |
| He also confirmed there would be another meeting of the government's Cobra emergency planning committee on Monday afternoon - the sixth since Wednesday. | He also confirmed there would be another meeting of the government's Cobra emergency planning committee on Monday afternoon - the sixth since Wednesday. |
| Earlier, in Sussex, a woman died after being swept out to sea on Saturday. | Earlier, in Sussex, a woman died after being swept out to sea on Saturday. |
| 'Incredibly rough' | 'Incredibly rough' |
| Places flooded in Cornwall included Looe, Fowey, Newlyn, Porthleven and Mevagissey. In Devon, parts of Kingsbridge, Salcombe and Exmouth were under water. | Places flooded in Cornwall included Looe, Fowey, Newlyn, Porthleven and Mevagissey. In Devon, parts of Kingsbridge, Salcombe and Exmouth were under water. |
| Severe flooding at Devonport in Plymouth meant only one of three Torpoint Ferry vessels, which connect Devon and Cornwall, was in service. | Severe flooding at Devonport in Plymouth meant only one of three Torpoint Ferry vessels, which connect Devon and Cornwall, was in service. |
| Mr Paterson said 21 properties were still flooded and 200 people still cut off in the Somerset villages of Muchelney, Thorney, Oath, Stathe and North Moor. | Mr Paterson said 21 properties were still flooded and 200 people still cut off in the Somerset villages of Muchelney, Thorney, Oath, Stathe and North Moor. |
| In County Antrim, Northern Ireland, powerful waves battered the coast. | |
| First Great Western said trains were suspended between Penzance and St Erth because of flooding and between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot because of "poor weather". | First Great Western said trains were suspended between Penzance and St Erth because of flooding and between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot because of "poor weather". |
| In Looe, flooding left the main street impassable. In Penzance, the seafront was closed because of the danger of debris being thrown by waves onto the road. | In Looe, flooding left the main street impassable. In Penzance, the seafront was closed because of the danger of debris being thrown by waves onto the road. |
| A BBC Cornwall reporter described the sea off Penzance as "incredibly rough, crashing along the sea wall". | A BBC Cornwall reporter described the sea off Penzance as "incredibly rough, crashing along the sea wall". |
| The head of the Environment Agency, Lord Smith, said there was "no bottomless purse" for flood defences and "difficult but sensible choices about where and what to protect" would have to be made. | The head of the Environment Agency, Lord Smith, said there was "no bottomless purse" for flood defences and "difficult but sensible choices about where and what to protect" would have to be made. |
| Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said "tricky questions" included "town or country, front rooms or farmland"? | Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said "tricky questions" included "town or country, front rooms or farmland"? |
| 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. |
| Dredging normally refers to increasing the depth of river channels by removing silt that builds up over years. | Dredging normally refers to increasing the depth of river channels by removing silt that builds up over years. |
| 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. |
| Residents have expressed frustration that the authorities have not done more to help. "They are sitting in their offices with their computers just crunching numbers," one resident of Thorney said. | Residents have expressed frustration that the authorities have not done more to help. "They are sitting in their offices with their computers just crunching numbers," one resident of Thorney said. |
| "They are not out here in the real world, are they?" | "They are not out here in the real world, are they?" |
| 'Extraordinary combination' | 'Extraordinary combination' |
| But David Demeritt, professor of geography at Kings College London, said flooding was inevitable without a big increase in spending. | But David Demeritt, professor of geography at Kings College London, said flooding was inevitable without a big increase in spending. |
| "If the rainfall is extraordinary a bit of dredging to deepen the drains is not really going to help." | "If the rainfall is extraordinary a bit of dredging to deepen the drains is not really going to help." |
| 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. |
| Heating oil stolen | Heating oil stolen |
| 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. | 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. | 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 called off. | A search for a sea angler, missing off the Aberdeenshire coast since the early hours of Sunday, has been called off. |
| 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. |