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| UK braced for more heavy rain after storms | UK braced for more heavy rain after storms |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Britain is braced for further heavy rain in areas already saturated after being battered by storms. | Britain is braced for further heavy rain in areas already saturated after being battered by storms. |
| Communities Secretary Eric Pickles will make a statement to MPs about the flooding crisis and will chair the government's emergency committee Cobra. | Communities Secretary Eric Pickles will make a statement to MPs about the flooding crisis and will chair the government's emergency committee Cobra. |
| It comes as the Met Office has more severe weather warnings for rain for southern and south-west England and south Wales from Thursday afternoon. | It comes as the Met Office has more severe weather warnings for rain for southern and south-west England and south Wales from Thursday afternoon. |
| The Environment Agency has two severe flood warnings in the Somerset Levels. | The Environment Agency has two severe flood warnings in the Somerset Levels. |
| Mr Pickles will chair Cobra in the absence of Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, who has been forced to pull out of leading the government's response to the floods to have emergency surgery on a detached retina. | Mr Pickles will chair Cobra in the absence of Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, who has been forced to pull out of leading the government's response to the floods to have emergency surgery on a detached retina. |
| 'Rain is back' | 'Rain is back' |
| Forecasters said there could be 20mm-40mm (0.8in-1.6in) of rain falling on saturated ground, with further bouts of rain to come into the weekend. | Forecasters said there could be 20mm-40mm (0.8in-1.6in) of rain falling on saturated ground, with further bouts of rain to come into the weekend. |
| BBC weather presenter Matt Taylor said: "After some dry and bright weather to begin with across central southern parts of England and Wales, I'm afraid to say the rain is back - some heavy and persistent rain nudging its way northwards through the afternoon to take us into the early evening rush-hour. | BBC weather presenter Matt Taylor said: "After some dry and bright weather to begin with across central southern parts of England and Wales, I'm afraid to say the rain is back - some heavy and persistent rain nudging its way northwards through the afternoon to take us into the early evening rush-hour. |
| "The winds although not much of a feature of this to begin with... will strengthen as we go through Thursday night into Friday morning." | "The winds although not much of a feature of this to begin with... will strengthen as we go through Thursday night into Friday morning." |
| The Met Office has amber severe weather warnings - meaning "be prepared" - for rain for parts of southern England from 15:00 GMT. | The Met Office has amber severe weather warnings - meaning "be prepared" - for rain for parts of southern England from 15:00 GMT. |
| There are yellow severe weather warnings - "be aware" - for areas including south-west England and south Wales from 12:00 GMT. | There are yellow severe weather warnings - "be aware" - for areas including south-west England and south Wales from 12:00 GMT. |
| The Environment Agency has severe flood warnings - meaning "danger to life" - in Somerset at Salt Moor and North Moor including Moorland, and at the A361 East Lyng to Burrowbridge. | The Environment Agency has severe flood warnings - meaning "danger to life" - in Somerset at Salt Moor and North Moor including Moorland, and at the A361 East Lyng to Burrowbridge. |
| There are about 60 flood warnings in England and Wales and more than 200 flood alerts. In Scotland, there are four flood warnings in Tayside, and a number of flood alerts. | There are about 60 flood warnings in England and Wales and more than 200 flood alerts. In Scotland, there are four flood warnings in Tayside, and a number of flood alerts. |
| The environment secretary, whose handling of the crisis has been widely criticised, had been due to chair Thursday's Cobra meeting and make a Commons statement. | The environment secretary, whose handling of the crisis has been widely criticised, had been due to chair Thursday's Cobra meeting and make a Commons statement. |
| Downing Street said Mr Paterson was expected to be off "for a few days" after surgery. | Downing Street said Mr Paterson was expected to be off "for a few days" after surgery. |
| A spokesman said: "In his absence, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles will be in charge of the government's response to the floods." | A spokesman said: "In his absence, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles will be in charge of the government's response to the floods." |
| Western Power Distribution said 953 customers were still without power across south-west England, 490 of these in Cornwall. | Western Power Distribution said 953 customers were still without power across south-west England, 490 of these in Cornwall. |
| The company said about 44,000 customers had been affected by power cuts since Tuesday afternoon. | The company said about 44,000 customers had been affected by power cuts since Tuesday afternoon. |
| Looting fear | Looting fear |
| Many residents in the Somerset Levels have been evacuated amid fears flood defences could be overwhelmed. | Many residents in the Somerset Levels have been evacuated amid fears flood defences could be overwhelmed. |
| Sue Sayer, in the village of Moorland, said: "They're advising, if you can, go. But there's an awful lot of people that are not because the risk then of looting if people see empty houses. | Sue Sayer, in the village of Moorland, said: "They're advising, if you can, go. But there's an awful lot of people that are not because the risk then of looting if people see empty houses. |
| "There has already been looting in some properties, not directly in the centre of the village, but on the outskirts there's already been looting which is despicable." | "There has already been looting in some properties, not directly in the centre of the village, but on the outskirts there's already been looting which is despicable." |
| PC Rob Jacobs, from Avon and Somerset Police, who was on patrol locally, said some areas were already impassable. | PC Rob Jacobs, from Avon and Somerset Police, who was on patrol locally, said some areas were already impassable. |
| "We've got 4x4 vehicles but even then the access isn't great," he said. | "We've got 4x4 vehicles but even then the access isn't great," he said. |
| "We've just tried to come down one way round into Fordgate and I think the water is probably a bit too deep. A couple of local farmers advised us that one route we were looking at to come down is at least 3ft, probably more." | "We've just tried to come down one way round into Fordgate and I think the water is probably a bit too deep. A couple of local farmers advised us that one route we were looking at to come down is at least 3ft, probably more." |
| The storm damaged the railway at Dawlish in Devon after a part of the sea wall collapsed and left the tracks suspended in mid-air. | The storm damaged the railway at Dawlish in Devon after a part of the sea wall collapsed and left the tracks suspended in mid-air. |
| First Great Western said the line between Exeter St Davids and Plymouth was closed, and Network Rail estimated it could take at least six weeks to repair. | First Great Western said the line between Exeter St Davids and Plymouth was closed, and Network Rail estimated it could take at least six weeks to repair. |
| Limited services were running between Plymouth and Penzance, with rail replacement services due to be provided from Thursday. | Limited services were running between Plymouth and Penzance, with rail replacement services due to be provided from Thursday. |
| Tim Jones, from the Devon and Cornwall Business Council, said the destruction of the line - which connects Devon and Cornwall to the rest of the UK - would cost the region's economy between £1m and £2m a day. | |
| Prime Minister David Cameron chaired his first Cobra meeting of 2014, and announced an extra £100m for flood works. | Prime Minister David Cameron chaired his first Cobra meeting of 2014, and announced an extra £100m for flood works. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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