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| Anger at environment chief in flood-hit Somerset | Anger at environment chief in flood-hit Somerset |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Residents of the flood-hit Somerset Levels have accused Environment Agency chairman Lord Smith of "letting everyone down", shortly before David Cameron visited the county. | |
| Lord Smith said he had "no intention of resigning" in the face of criticism for not visiting sooner and not doing more to protect local homes and businesses. | Lord Smith said he had "no intention of resigning" in the face of criticism for not visiting sooner and not doing more to protect local homes and businesses. |
| Somerset Levels resident Jim Winkworth said he was "bloody mad" Lord Smith had not apologised. | Somerset Levels resident Jim Winkworth said he was "bloody mad" Lord Smith had not apologised. |
| It comes amid more UK weather warnings. | It comes amid more UK weather warnings. |
| The prime minister travelled to the Somerset Levels and admitted there were "lessons to learn" from the situation. | |
| Mr Cameron pledged help to those affected by floods, and said: "Everything that can be done will be done and I will make sure that happens." | |
| The Met Office has severe weather warnings in place for rain and wind in southern England and Wales, with further rain warnings issued for the Midlands, east of England and Northern Ireland. | |
| The Environment Agency has two severe flood warnings - meaning "danger to life" - in the Somerset Levels, at Salt Moor and North Moor including Moorland, and at A361 East Lyng to Burrowbridge. | The Environment Agency has two severe flood warnings - meaning "danger to life" - in the Somerset Levels, at Salt Moor and North Moor including Moorland, and at A361 East Lyng to Burrowbridge. |
| There are also more than 150 flood warnings across England and Wales, and more than 300 flood alerts. | There are also more than 150 flood warnings across England and Wales, and more than 300 flood alerts. |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| Making his first visit to the Somerset Levels since floods hit, Lord Smith said he had "no intention of resigning because I'm very proud of the work the Environment Agency and its staff have been doing right round the country in the face of the most extreme weather". | Making his first visit to the Somerset Levels since floods hit, Lord Smith said he had "no intention of resigning because I'm very proud of the work the Environment Agency and its staff have been doing right round the country in the face of the most extreme weather". |
| He said the residents he met had "made very clear" to him the distress they had experienced and difficulties they had faced - and how Somerset could be better protected in the future. | He said the residents he met had "made very clear" to him the distress they had experienced and difficulties they had faced - and how Somerset could be better protected in the future. |
| His visit came as about 80 homes in the village of Moorland in Somerset have been evacuated. | |
| The local water level rose by about one metre overnight, breaching temporary flood defences in the early hours. | The local water level rose by about one metre overnight, breaching temporary flood defences in the early hours. |
| A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said a "handful" of other residents had chosen to stay, amid the latest bout of flooding in an area which has effectively been cut off for a number of weeks. | A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said a "handful" of other residents had chosen to stay, amid the latest bout of flooding in an area which has effectively been cut off for a number of weeks. |
| Lord Smith added that £10m of extra government funding allocated to Somerset would enable the Environment Agency (EA) to dredge 8km (4.9 miles) of the rivers Tone and Parrett. | Lord Smith added that £10m of extra government funding allocated to Somerset would enable the Environment Agency (EA) to dredge 8km (4.9 miles) of the rivers Tone and Parrett. |
| "The clear priorities that have been set for us by successive governments, including this one, is: our top priority is protecting lives, our second priority is protecting people's homes and people's businesses, our third priority is to protect as much agricultural land as we can," he said. | "The clear priorities that have been set for us by successive governments, including this one, is: our top priority is protecting lives, our second priority is protecting people's homes and people's businesses, our third priority is to protect as much agricultural land as we can," he said. |
| Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Lord Smith, angry resident Mr Winkworth said: "He is letting himself down, he is letting his organisation down and he is letting us down. | Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Lord Smith, angry resident Mr Winkworth said: "He is letting himself down, he is letting his organisation down and he is letting us down. |
| "He hasn't come down here to apologise, which is what he should be here for." | "He hasn't come down here to apologise, which is what he should be here for." |
| Mr Winkworth said Lord Smith told him the reason the area was not dredged, as was promised a year ago, was because the £400,000 set aside was not enough and they were waiting for other agencies to contribute. | Mr Winkworth said Lord Smith told him the reason the area was not dredged, as was promised a year ago, was because the £400,000 set aside was not enough and they were waiting for other agencies to contribute. |
| "So my question was 'why didn't they use the £400,000 to make a start?' He said it wouldn't work and there was no point starting a job and not finishing it." | "So my question was 'why didn't they use the £400,000 to make a start?' He said it wouldn't work and there was no point starting a job and not finishing it." |
| Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister David Cameron said that "progress is being made" in Somerset and the government was doing "everything we can to help co-ordinate what is still a very difficult situation". | Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister David Cameron said that "progress is being made" in Somerset and the government was doing "everything we can to help co-ordinate what is still a very difficult situation". |
| Ahead of Lord Smith's visit, Conservative Mr Liddell-Grainger, who represents Bridgwater and West Somerset, said: "I will tell him what I bloody well think of him - he should go, he should walk." | Ahead of Lord Smith's visit, Conservative Mr Liddell-Grainger, who represents Bridgwater and West Somerset, said: "I will tell him what I bloody well think of him - he should go, he should walk." |
| Police said it was uncertain how long people who were evacuated would be out of their homes. | Police said it was uncertain how long people who were evacuated would be out of their homes. |
| Plans are being put in place to decide which homes need to be evacuated in nearby Fordgate. | Plans are being put in place to decide which homes need to be evacuated in nearby Fordgate. |
| BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood said that as Friday afternoon continued there would be a build-up of cloud and some showers before the rain would "steam in" accompanied by "gusty winds". | BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood said that as Friday afternoon continued there would be a build-up of cloud and some showers before the rain would "steam in" accompanied by "gusty winds". |
| On Saturday "expect 70mph around the Welsh coasts, the south-western approaches and the English Channel, but anywhere with a bit more exposure we could easily see 80mph gusts", she said. | On Saturday "expect 70mph around the Welsh coasts, the south-western approaches and the English Channel, but anywhere with a bit more exposure we could easily see 80mph gusts", she said. |
| There will be "a lot of showers, some of those heavy and squally with hail and with thunder", she added. | There will be "a lot of showers, some of those heavy and squally with hail and with thunder", she added. |
| The Met Office said it was the wettest combined December and January for more than 100 years. Rain fell on 23 out of 31 days in January across the UK. | The Met Office said it was the wettest combined December and January for more than 100 years. Rain fell on 23 out of 31 days in January across the UK. |
| On Thursday, the government pledged an extra £30m for flood repairs and maintenance as the prime minister defended the government's response to the storms. | On Thursday, the government pledged an extra £30m for flood repairs and maintenance as the prime minister defended the government's response to the storms. |
| The money is for this year, on top of an additional £100m previously announced to be spent next year. | The money is for this year, on top of an additional £100m previously announced to be spent next year. |
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