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| UK floods: Swollen Thames threatens thousands of homes | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of homes along the River Thames are threatened with flooding as flood waters continue to rise. | Thousands of homes along the River Thames are threatened with flooding as flood waters continue to rise. |
| Fourteen severe flood warnings are in place in Berkshire and Surrey, while two remain in Somerset. | Fourteen severe flood warnings are in place in Berkshire and Surrey, while two remain in Somerset. |
| Environment Agency chairman Lord Smith, has hit back at critics, saying his staff knew "100 times" more about flooding than any politician. | Environment Agency chairman Lord Smith, has hit back at critics, saying his staff knew "100 times" more about flooding than any politician. |
| A minister will answer an urgent question put by Labour in the Commons on the flooding crisis later. | A minister will answer an urgent question put by Labour in the Commons on the flooding crisis later. |
| Speaking earlier, Lord Smith said: "I have kept my counsel up to now, but when I hear someone criticising the expertise and the professionalism of my staff in the Environment Agency, who know 100 times more about flood risk management than any politician ever does, I'm afraid I'm not going to sit idly by. | Speaking earlier, Lord Smith said: "I have kept my counsel up to now, but when I hear someone criticising the expertise and the professionalism of my staff in the Environment Agency, who know 100 times more about flood risk management than any politician ever does, I'm afraid I'm not going to sit idly by. |
| "The Environment Agency is bound by the rules that are laid down by government." | "The Environment Agency is bound by the rules that are laid down by government." |
| His comments came after Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said ministers had been given bad advice over river dredging. | His comments came after Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said ministers had been given bad advice over river dredging. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron is visiting Portland, off the Dorset coast, to see the work of the Environment Agency. | Prime Minister David Cameron is visiting Portland, off the Dorset coast, to see the work of the Environment Agency. |
| He said that now was the time for "everyone to get on with the jobs they have - this is not the time to change personnel", and gave his backing to Lord Smith. | |
| Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who was in Burrowbridge in Somerset on Monday, said dredging should have been done over the last few years but added: "I don't think now is the time to point the finger of blame." | Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who was in Burrowbridge in Somerset on Monday, said dredging should have been done over the last few years but added: "I don't think now is the time to point the finger of blame." |
| Environment Secretary Owen Paterson and Mr Pickles are thought to be at odds over the performance of the Environment Agency. | |
| No 10 did not deny Mr Paterson had complained about his colleague, who is standing in for him after he had an eye operation, but said both were doing an "excellent job". | |
| Among other developments: | Among other developments: |
| Major incident | Major incident |
| Homes in the Berkshire village of Datchet are underwater and thousands more along the lower River Thames are threatened by flooding. | Homes in the Berkshire village of Datchet are underwater and thousands more along the lower River Thames are threatened by flooding. |
| Thames Valley Police have declared a "major incident" in the east of the county. | Thames Valley Police have declared a "major incident" in the east of the county. |
| Howard Davidson, from the Environment Agency said he expects conditions in Berkshire to deteriorate as more rain falls over the coming days. | Howard Davidson, from the Environment Agency said he expects conditions in Berkshire to deteriorate as more rain falls over the coming days. |
| "We have issued flood warnings from Datchet down to Shepperton, and we urge people to take heed of the flood warnings. We are anticipating another three or four inches on the Thames over the next 24 hours." | "We have issued flood warnings from Datchet down to Shepperton, and we urge people to take heed of the flood warnings. We are anticipating another three or four inches on the Thames over the next 24 hours." |
| Councillor Colin Rayner, from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, said: "We need help here. We need the police, we need the Army. We've got 50 volunteers here, we've got the vulnerable people out of their homes, now we need to get everyone else out." | Councillor Colin Rayner, from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, said: "We need help here. We need the police, we need the Army. We've got 50 volunteers here, we've got the vulnerable people out of their homes, now we need to get everyone else out." |
| One resident in Colnbrook, Berkshire, Asif Khan told the BBC: "The whole street is under water. We've got water coming through our house now, it's got above the air brick level. Our garage is completely flooded. The fridge just went bang. It's something out of a horror movie. So we're now going to take two small kids somehow through the street to the car which we've parked on the other road, and go to our in-laws." | One resident in Colnbrook, Berkshire, Asif Khan told the BBC: "The whole street is under water. We've got water coming through our house now, it's got above the air brick level. Our garage is completely flooded. The fridge just went bang. It's something out of a horror movie. So we're now going to take two small kids somehow through the street to the car which we've parked on the other road, and go to our in-laws." |
| Another resident Paul Palmer, who lives in the village of Hurst told BBC Radio Berkshire: "I've lived here for 44 years and I've never known anything like it. Every entrance, every exit to Hurst is flooded now. We've had no use of our toilets since Friday morning, our sewers are completely blocked and it's starting to back up into the toilet. The council won't offer an emergency toilet unless you're a council tenant. It's like going back to the dark ages. You'd think they could get at least one chemical toilet cubicle at the local village hall or something." | Another resident Paul Palmer, who lives in the village of Hurst told BBC Radio Berkshire: "I've lived here for 44 years and I've never known anything like it. Every entrance, every exit to Hurst is flooded now. We've had no use of our toilets since Friday morning, our sewers are completely blocked and it's starting to back up into the toilet. The council won't offer an emergency toilet unless you're a council tenant. It's like going back to the dark ages. You'd think they could get at least one chemical toilet cubicle at the local village hall or something." |
| Several Thames gauges are showing their highest levels since being installed in the 1980s and 90s. | Several Thames gauges are showing their highest levels since being installed in the 1980s and 90s. |
| Severe delays | Severe delays |
| The flooding has also caused severe delays on several train lines, National Rail said. | The flooding has also caused severe delays on several train lines, National Rail said. |
| Robin Gisby, managing director of Network Rail, said his team were watching "several hundred" sites across England carefully. | Robin Gisby, managing director of Network Rail, said his team were watching "several hundred" sites across England carefully. |
| "What I think is really significant, and it has got worse overnight, is Oxford down to the Thames Valley through Didcot, Reading, Maidenhead and into Paddington. | "What I think is really significant, and it has got worse overnight, is Oxford down to the Thames Valley through Didcot, Reading, Maidenhead and into Paddington. |
| "This isn't now just flooding, this is groundwater. The land is so saturated we have got water rising up, just as much as flowing on to it. So it is difficult." | "This isn't now just flooding, this is groundwater. The land is so saturated we have got water rising up, just as much as flowing on to it. So it is difficult." |
| The main rail route into Devon and Cornwall via Bridgwater remains cut off because problems caused by flooding and storm damage. | The main rail route into Devon and Cornwall via Bridgwater remains cut off because problems caused by flooding and storm damage. |
| The line from Paddington to Exeter via Newbury is expected to reopen later following a drop in flood water levels at Athelney. | The line from Paddington to Exeter via Newbury is expected to reopen later following a drop in flood water levels at Athelney. |
| The line from Waterloo to Exeter via Yeovil, closed due to a landslip at Crewkerne on Saturday, has reopened. | The line from Waterloo to Exeter via Yeovil, closed due to a landslip at Crewkerne on Saturday, has reopened. |
| More than 300 less serious warnings and alerts have been issued, mostly in southern England and the Midlands. | More than 300 less serious warnings and alerts have been issued, mostly in southern England and the Midlands. |
| The Met Office has no rain warnings in place for Monday, but it is warning of ice across much of the UK. | The Met Office has no rain warnings in place for Monday, but it is warning of ice across much of the UK. |
| But forecasters say another area of low pressure is expected to reach the UK on Monday night and into Tuesday, bringing more heavy rain. | But forecasters say another area of low pressure is expected to reach the UK on Monday night and into Tuesday, bringing more heavy rain. |
| Peter Sloss, of the BBC Weather Centre, said Monday would be the "driest day of the week" but he warned there would be 20-40mm (1-2in) of rain for many areas by the end of Thursday. | Peter Sloss, of the BBC Weather Centre, said Monday would be the "driest day of the week" but he warned there would be 20-40mm (1-2in) of rain for many areas by the end of Thursday. |
| He said some showers would be wintry, with snow likely on higher ground in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England. | He said some showers would be wintry, with snow likely on higher ground in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England. |
| 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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