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| Prince Charles feels 'sorry for' Somerset flood victims | Prince Charles feels 'sorry for' Somerset flood victims |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Prince of Wales has met residents and farmers in the flood-hit Somerset Levels and expressed sympathy for their plight. | The Prince of Wales has met residents and farmers in the flood-hit Somerset Levels and expressed sympathy for their plight. |
| Thousands of hectares of land remain under water in the area, where whole villages have been cut off, and which is subject to a fresh weather warning. | Thousands of hectares of land remain under water in the area, where whole villages have been cut off, and which is subject to a fresh weather warning. |
| The Prince's Countryside Fund is donating £50,000 to help the region. | |
| An additional £300,000 of government funding to aid people across England affected by floods has been announced. | An additional £300,000 of government funding to aid people across England affected by floods has been announced. |
| Meanwhile, another unsettled week of wet and windy weather right across the UK is forecast. | Meanwhile, another unsettled week of wet and windy weather right across the UK is forecast. |
| The Met Office has issued a yellow warning - meaning "be aware" - of wind for south-western parts of England and Wales into the evening. It says winds could reach 80mph in the most exposed spots. | The Met Office has issued a yellow warning - meaning "be aware" - of wind for south-western parts of England and Wales into the evening. It says winds could reach 80mph in the most exposed spots. |
| Strong winds and heavy rain are also predicted across southern England on Wednesday, while another band of rain is expected to arrive from the south on Thursday. | Strong winds and heavy rain are also predicted across southern England on Wednesday, while another band of rain is expected to arrive from the south on Thursday. |
| The Environment Agency says it expects the strong winds and high waves to cause flooding in coastal areas. | |
| It no longer has any "danger to life" severe flood warnings in place, but there are more than 50 lesser flood warnings - mainly in the Midlands, south-east and south-west of England - and more than 150 flood alerts across England and Wales. | It no longer has any "danger to life" severe flood warnings in place, but there are more than 50 lesser flood warnings - mainly in the Midlands, south-east and south-west of England - and more than 150 flood alerts across England and Wales. |
| The Agency said the flood risk would continue over the next week. | The Agency said the flood risk would continue over the next week. |
| The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has six flood alerts in place, meaning flooding is possible. | The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has six flood alerts in place, meaning flooding is possible. |
| The Prince of Wales visited the Somerset Levels as patron of the Prince's Countryside Fund, which allocates grants to rural projects and for help in emergencies. | The Prince of Wales visited the Somerset Levels as patron of the Prince's Countryside Fund, which allocates grants to rural projects and for help in emergencies. |
| The Duke of Westminster has matched its donation with another £50,000 going to the area. | The Duke of Westminster has matched its donation with another £50,000 going to the area. |
| The Prince of Wales arrived shortly after noon and spoke to people at Williams Hall in Stoke St Gregory before beginning a tour. | The Prince of Wales arrived shortly after noon and spoke to people at Williams Hall in Stoke St Gregory before beginning a tour. |
| Prince Charles was taken to the village of Muchelney by boat and later climbed on to a tractor-towed trailer for a journey along flooded roads to a farm in Thorney. | Prince Charles was taken to the village of Muchelney by boat and later climbed on to a tractor-towed trailer for a journey along flooded roads to a farm in Thorney. |
| Speaking to BBC News correspondent Jon Kay, the Prince of Wales said he "feels very sorry for all the people affected by the flooding". | Speaking to BBC News correspondent Jon Kay, the Prince of Wales said he "feels very sorry for all the people affected by the flooding". |
| Victoria Elms, from The Prince's Countryside Fund, said: "Rural communities in the South West are facing a second consecutive year of flooding. | Victoria Elms, from The Prince's Countryside Fund, said: "Rural communities in the South West are facing a second consecutive year of flooding. |
| "We hope this financial aid will go some way to supporting the farmers, businesses and families who are facing severe hardships as a result of the flooding." | "We hope this financial aid will go some way to supporting the farmers, businesses and families who are facing severe hardships as a result of the flooding." |
| The Prince's Countryside Fund has allocated £25,000 of its emergency funding to the Farming Help Partnership, with the remainder given to the Somerset Community Foundation. | The Prince's Countryside Fund has allocated £25,000 of its emergency funding to the Farming Help Partnership, with the remainder given to the Somerset Community Foundation. |
| Eearlier, Environment Agency chairman Lord Smith told the BBC dredging of river channels was part of the answer for Somerset but a comprehensive solution was needed. | Eearlier, Environment Agency chairman Lord Smith told the BBC dredging of river channels was part of the answer for Somerset but a comprehensive solution was needed. |
| He said one option in future was to try to hold back water further up the catchment to prevent so much reaching the Levels, which lie below sea level. | He said one option in future was to try to hold back water further up the catchment to prevent so much reaching the Levels, which lie below sea level. |
| But Lord Smith reiterated there was not a limitless amount of money available for tackling floods. | But Lord Smith reiterated there was not a limitless amount of money available for tackling floods. |
| "Most people would say lives come first, and homes and businesses have to come after that," he said. | "Most people would say lives come first, and homes and businesses have to come after that," he said. |
| Some residents in Somerset have rejected this, saying the authorities have not done enough to help. | Some residents in Somerset have rejected this, saying the authorities have not done enough to help. |
| Local government minister Brandon Lewis said the additional £300,000 of government funding would be on top of financial support already available to local authorities to repair bridges and roads, bringing its total cash support to £7m. | Local government minister Brandon Lewis said the additional £300,000 of government funding would be on top of financial support already available to local authorities to repair bridges and roads, bringing its total cash support to £7m. |
| He said more fire service water pumps would be sent to flood-hit areas, including the Somerset Levels. | He said more fire service water pumps would be sent to flood-hit areas, including the Somerset Levels. |
| He also confirmed that 53 local council areas affected by the severe weather had sought emergency funding from his department. | He also confirmed that 53 local council areas affected by the severe weather had sought emergency funding from his department. |
| Environment Secretary Owen Paterson was questioned by MPs on Monday about the government's handling of the crisis. | Environment Secretary Owen Paterson was questioned by MPs on Monday about the government's handling of the crisis. |
| He said the government was spending £100,000 a week extra to pump water in Somerset and that 7,500 properties had been flooded since the start of December. | He said the government was spending £100,000 a week extra to pump water in Somerset and that 7,500 properties had been flooded since the start of December. |
| A cheaper helpline for flooding victims in England has also been opened for calls. | A cheaper helpline for flooding victims in England has also been opened for calls. |
| The Environment Agency's new Floodline number - 0345 9881188 - was opened after complaints that callers were being charged up to 41p a minute to ring the existing 0845 helpline when using a mobile phone, with the money going to a private company. | The Environment Agency's new Floodline number - 0345 9881188 - was opened after complaints that callers were being charged up to 41p a minute to ring the existing 0845 helpline when using a mobile phone, with the money going to a private company. |
| Several coastal towns in south-west England were hit by fresh flooding on Monday, which disrupted businesses and severed road and rail links. | Several coastal towns in south-west England were hit by fresh flooding on Monday, which disrupted businesses and severed road and rail links. |
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