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| Prince Charles visiting flooded Somerset Levels | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Prince Charles is meeting residents, farmers and emergency services staff in the flood-hit Somerset Levels. | |
| He is being joined by staff of the Prince's Countryside Fund, which is donating £50,000 to help the area. | |
| Thousands of hectares of land remain under water in the area, where whole villages have been cut off. | |
| 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. | 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. |
| Risk 'continues' | Risk 'continues' |
| 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. |
| The Prince of Wales is visiting Somerset as patron of a fund which allocates grants to rural projects and for help in emergencies. | |
| The Duke of Westminster has matched the funding and is donating an additional £50,000 to the area. | |
| Victoria Elms, from The Prince's Countryside Fund, said: "Rural communities in the Southwest 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." | |
| Another unsettled week of wet and windy weather right across the UK is forecast, said BBC weather forecaster Darren Bett. | |
| The Met Office, has issued a yellow warning - meaning "be aware" - of wind for south-western parts of the UK from Tuesday afternoon into the evening. It says winds could reach 80mph in the most exposed spots. | |
| Strong winds and heavy rain is also predicted across southern England on Wednesday, while another band of rain is expected to arrive from the south on Thursday. | |
| The Environment Agency expects the strong winds and high waves to cause flooding in coastal areas. | The Environment Agency 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 40 lesser flood warnings - mainly in the Midlands, south-east and south-west of England - and over 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. | |
| Cheaper helpline | Cheaper helpline |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Meanwhile, a cheaper helpline for flooding victims in England has been opened for calls. | Meanwhile, a cheaper helpline for flooding victims in England has 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 call 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 call 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 business and severed road and rail links. | Several coastal towns in south-west England were hit by fresh flooding on Monday, which disrupted business and severed road and rail links. |
| Cornwall Council said there had been "a severe amount of coastal damage". | Cornwall Council said there had been "a severe amount of coastal damage". |