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UK weather: Marines drafted in to evacuate Somerset residents as Environment Agency chief is set to visit flood-hit areas UK weather: Marines drafted in to evacuate Somerset residents as Environment Agency chief is set to visit flood-hit areas
(about 1 hour later)
The chairman of the Environment Agency will today visit the Somerset Levels for the first time since it was hit by floods, as more residents were urged to evacuate their homes overnight. Royal Marines building sandbag defences in the Somerset Levels have been drafted in to assist with the evacuation of residents in the village of Moorland this morning, after more residents were warned to leave their homes overnight.
Royal Marines who had been in the region building sandbag defences were drafted in to assist with the evacuation of residents in the village of Moorland this morning. The chairman of the Environment Agency will today visit the area for the first time since it was hit by floods, as another night of heavy rain overwhelmed local defences.
Another night of heavy rain overwhelmed local flood defences and the water level began to rise. Last night, residents of Northmoor, Fordgate and Saltmoor, also on the Levels, had already been urged to evacuate.
Residents from nearby Northmoor, Fordgate and Saltmoor on the Levels had already been warned to evacuate last night.
A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: “Earlier this morning local flood defences were breached and the water level in Moorland began rising.A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: “Earlier this morning local flood defences were breached and the water level in Moorland began rising.
“We are have been informing local residents and strongly advising them to leave the area.“We are have been informing local residents and strongly advising them to leave the area.
“The Royal Marines and search and rescue volunteers are assisting us with this.”“The Royal Marines and search and rescue volunteers are assisting us with this.”
Environment Agency chairman Lord Smith will arrive in the region amid criticism of claims he made in a newspaper interview that Britain may have to choose whether it wants to save “town or country” from future flooding because it is too costly to defend both. Two severe flood warnings - meaning a danger to life - have been issued by the Environment Agency, both in the South West.
The agency has also been under fire from some residents who believe river dredging could have helped reduce flooding. Lord Smith, Environment Agency chairman, will visit the region amid criticism of his comments that Britain may have to choose whether it wishes to save “town or country” from future flooding due to the cost of defending both.
Around 5,000 properties have been affected by flooding across the country, including 40 in Somerset. The agency has also been under fire from some residents who believe river dredging could have helped reduce flooding. Around 5,000 properties have been affected by flooding across the country, including 40 in Somerset.
Severe weather alerts were in place for south east England, the South West and Wales as further torrential downpours arrived overnight, with more wet weather forecast.Severe weather alerts were in place for south east England, the South West and Wales as further torrential downpours arrived overnight, with more wet weather forecast.
The Daily Telegraph reported that days before the recent winter storms, the EA is said to have told peers that it could not act to protect the railway line at Dawlish, Devon, from the sea until it had studied the impact of any improvements on local birdlife. In the South East, there were 68 flood warnings and 135 flood alerts at 8am this morning. The Environment Agency was out overnight checking river levels and is poised to put up temporary flood defences in vulnerable areas prone to flooding.
The line at Dawlish was this week severely damaged by the surging sea amid winter storms, leaving much of Devon and Cornwall cut off from the rest of the country by rail. In Kent, areas of which were badly affected by floods over Christmas, police and council officials warned of more problems, including possible localised flooding in Yalding, Tonbridge, Hildenborough and Paddock Wood.
But the EA refuted this, with a spokeswoman saying they “do not recognise the description of the recent meeting with Network Rail and Peers.” Details of Lord Smith's visit to Somerset, which comes a week after Environment Secretary Owen Paterson was heckled by local residents when he went to the Levels, have not been released.
She added: “The focus of the meeting was to discuss the Exeter Flood Risk Management scheme and its interaction with the rail mainline going into Exeter St Davids.” The Prime Minister, who chaired a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee last night, has claimed he will visit Somerset himself “when the time is right”.
Details of Lord Smith's visit to Somerset, which comes a week after Environment Secretary Owen Paterson was heckled by local residents, have not been released.
The Prime Minister, who chaired a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee last night, has insisted he would visit Somerset himself “when the time is right”.
David Cameron said he wanted to reassure people affected by the floods that the Government was keeping up its “urgent response”.David Cameron said he wanted to reassure people affected by the floods that the Government was keeping up its “urgent response”.
He said: “I have chaired another Cobra meeting...to ensure we continue to do everything possible to help communities affected by these storms. “Across the country another £30 million will be spent on urgent flood defence repairs this year, on top of the £100 million next year which I announced [on Wednesday],” he said.
“Royal Marine Commandos from Taunton have been deployed in Somerset to fill sandbags and provide relief to the local emergency services, as more bad weather is forecast. Liberal Democrat MEP for South West England Sir Graham Watson and two colleagues have written to Mr Paterson urging him to apply for support from the European Union's Solidarity Fund, which provides resources for member states to deal with the aftermath of large-scale natural disasters.
“The Environment Agency has ordered specialist pumping equipment to clear roads, in addition to the extra pumps we have already sent, and they will keep looking at all options for pumping and dredging. The MEP said he had already spoken to the EU's regional policy commissioner Johannes Hahn, who told him that the UK “might well” qualify for support from the fund.
“In Dawlish, National Rail is undertaking a full inspection of the railway line and working with Army engineers on options to shore up the damaged section: a regular rail replacement service is now in place. Sir Graham told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: “If our taxpayers are helping to establish this fund, we should be drawing down from it when we need it. And the need is certainly there.
“Across the country another £30 million will be spent on urgent flood defence repairs this year, on top of the £100 million next year which I announced (on Wednesday). "It doesn't have to be a national emergency. It can be a regional emergency, and it certainly is here in the South-West peninsula."
“I want to reassure everyone affected by these terrible storms that we will continue to keep up our urgent response and help get them back on the move.”
Two severe flood warnings - meaning a “danger to life” - have been issued by the Environment Agency.
The first is in Saltmoor and Northmoor including East Lyng, Burrowbridge, West Yeo, Moorland and Fordgate, while a second relates to the A361 road from East Lyng to Burrowbridge.
Across the country, more than 90 flood warnings, requiring “ immediate action” have been issued, with a further 270 flood alerts in place.
The Met Office confirmed it has been the wettest December and January combined for more than 100 years, with rain falling on 23 out of 31 days in January across the UK.The Met Office confirmed it has been the wettest December and January combined for more than 100 years, with rain falling on 23 out of 31 days in January across the UK.
There was 7.23ins (183.8mm) of rainfall in January, 51 per cent higher than the average. Between mid-December and the end of January, southern England was deluged with over five months' worth of rainfall, figures show. In January, there was 183.8mm of rainfall, 51 per cent higher than the average. Southern England was hit by over five months' worth of rainfall, from just mid-December to the end of January, figures show.
Met Office spokeswoman Laura Young warned that the whole of the UK will be “engulfed” by heavy rain overnight. Met Office spokeswoman Laura Young warned that the whole of the UK will tonight be “engulfed” by heavy rain.
“We are looking at another 10mm (0.393ins) to 20mm (0.787ins) widespread, it will be heaviest across southern England,” she said. “Locally in the area within the amber warning you could see 30mm (1.181ins) so it will lead to further flooding, unfortunately.” Severe winds are expected across the UK tomorrow, with some areas of exposed coastline potentially seeing gusts of wind of more than 80 mph.
Severe winds are expected across the UK tomorrow, with some areas of exposed coastline potentially seeing gusts of wind of more than 80mph. Additional reporting from PA
PA