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Prince Charles feels 'sorry for' Somerset flood victims Somerset flood delay a 'tragedy', says Prince Charles
(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 said it was a "tragedy" that nothing had happened for so long.
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 for weeks.
The Prince's Countryside Fund is donating £50,000 to help the region. Residents have expressed anger at the pace at which the Environment Agency and the government have responded.
An additional £300,000 of government funding to aid people across England affected by floods has been announced. The Met Office is warning of more rain and strong winds in the south-west of the UK, with gusts of up to 60mph.
Meanwhile, another unsettled week of wet and windy weather right across the UK is forecast. Speaking during his visit to Somerset, the Prince of Wales said: "There's nothing like a jolly good disaster to get people to start doing something.
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 tragedy is that nothing happened for so long."
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. Many residents have said there has been a slow response from the authorities to the flooding, which has affected many parts of the Somerset Levels since the end of December.
Some have also suggested that a lack of river dredging by the Environment Agency could have exacerbated the scale of the flooding.
'Feels sorry'
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson - who visited the area last week - was harangued by some residents about the "Third World" conditions they were living in.
The Prince of Wales also said during his visit that he "feels very sorry for all the people affected by the flooding".
Asked to respond to the Prince's comments, David Cameron's official spokesman said: "The prime minister has repeatedly said... that the situation that a number of communities in the Somerset area find themselves in is unacceptable.
"That is why the government is working so closely with the Environment Agency, the local authority and other agencies to do as much as we can to help those communities."
The Met Office's yellow warning - meaning "be aware" - also applies across southern England and Wales on Wednesday. Between 10 and 20mm of rain is predicted.
Another band of rain is expected to arrive from the south on Thursday, adds the Met Office.
The Environment Agency says it expects the strong winds and high waves to cause flooding in coastal areas.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 180 flood alerts across England and Wales.
The Agency said the flood risk would continue over the next week. But 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. He arrived shortly after noon and spoke to people at Williams Hall in Stoke St Gregory before touring 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.
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". The Prince's Countryside Fund is donating £50,000 to help the region. It has allocated £25,000 to the Farming Help Partnership, with the remainder given to the Somerset Community Foundation.
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."
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.
Earlier, 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.Earlier, 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. On Monday, the government announced an additional £300,000 of funding 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. The Environment Agency has opened a cheaper helpline for flooding victims in England after complaints that callers were being charged up to 41p a minute to ring the existing number when using a mobile phone, with the money going to a private company.
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.
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.
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.
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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