UK floods: Severe flood warnings issued for Thames
UK floods: Thames reaches record water levels
(about 7 hours later)
Fourteen severe flood warnings have been issued along the River Thames in Berkshire and Surrey amid concern that people and property are at risk.
Several water gauges along the River Thames have measured record levels as flood waters continue to rise.
The Environment Agency is also warning of rising water in the Somerset Levels, and there are flood fears in Worcester.
Fourteen severe flood warnings are in place along a stretch of the river in Berkshire and Surrey, with police warning 2,500 Surrey homes are at risk.
Earlier, the communities secretary said ministers may have relied too much on the agency's advice and it had been a "mistake" not to dredge the Levels.
The Environment Agency is also warning of rising water in the Somerset Levels.
But the agency said its "immediate priority" was to protect people.
Forecasters said Monday would be the driest day of the week, but rivers could continue to rise as previous rainfall works its way downstream.
Two severe flood warnings remain in place in Somerset and more rain is expected later in the week.
Several Thames gauges are currently showing their highest water levels since being installed in the 1980s and 90s.
The prime minister, who chaired a meeting of the government's Cobra emergency committee, said: "As we continue to face these extraordinary weather events, I have made clear again... that every resource is available to the local communities affected.
The Environment Agency's 14 severe warnings - meaning "danger to life" - are for areas in and around Staines, Egham, Chertsey and Datchet.
"We will keep providing whatever immediate practical support and assistance is needed, whether that is extra pumps and sandbags; military support on the ground; emergency funds from the new £7m severe weather assistance fund for local councils."
Water levels there are expected to rise despite the fact that significant rainfall is not expected during the day.
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, who is in charge of the government's flood defence efforts, said the government had relied too much on the Environment Agency's advice and the flood-hit Somerset Levels should have been dredged.
Armed forces personnel were in the heavily populated area on Sunday night building a 2ft-high (60cm) defence to try to divert the river away from homes.
"I apologise unreservedly and I'm really sorry that we took the advice; we thought we were dealing with experts," he said.
Howard Davidson, from the Environment Agency, said on Sunday: "The Thames is a big river and it responds to rainfall over many weeks - and the catchment is saturated.
But as the agency increased the number of severe warnings from two to 16, it said it was putting all its energy and focus into protecting people and property until the danger has passed.
It said the 14 severe "risk to life" warnings along the Thames in Berkshire and Surrey between Datchet and Shepperton Green were issued because river levels are expected to continue to rise for at least 24 hours as recent rain moves downstream.
Howard Davidson from the Environment Agency said: "The Thames is a big river and it responds to rainfall over many weeks - and the catchment is saturated.
"We are seeing the Thames continue to rise and it will continue to do so, certainly over the next few days and we have further rain forecast over Tuesday and Wednesday."
"We are seeing the Thames continue to rise and it will continue to do so, certainly over the next few days and we have further rain forecast over Tuesday and Wednesday."
The agency also has more than 150 lesser flood warnings, the majority in the South East, the East, the Midlands and South West.
Two severe flood warnings remain in place in Somerset, and more than 300 less-serious warnings and alerts have been issued, mostly in southern England and the Midlands.
BBC News correspondent Ben Ando in Datchet said levels on the Thames were already higher than in 2003 when the area last experienced serious flooding.
The Met Office has no rain warnings in place for Monday, but it is warning of ice across much of the UK.
Armed forces personnel are in the area building a 2ft-high (60cm) defence to try to divert the river away from homes.
Tina McFarlane, 70, from the Buckinghamshire town of Marlow, which borders the Thames, said she was confined to the upstairs of her house and was without electricity.
"I can't get out of the house as the water is too deep for my waders, and it's getting dangerous," she told the BBC.
"It's not only the Somerset Levels that are suffering. We're feeling very isolated; no one is giving us any information."
Surrey Police says up to 2,500 properties in the county may be at risk and is urging residents to co-operate with the emergency services and take precautions to protect themselves and their properties.
Flooding at Hinksey, south of Oxford, has led Network Rail to warn of possible disruption for commuters travelling to London Paddington on Monday.
Robin Gisby from Network Rail said: "We will be running a very limited service between Oxford and Didcot. It should be open... but it will be limited. Passengers should check all the websites to see what journeys can be made".
Bridge closed
Recent rainfall in the Somerset Levels has meant water levels have been increasing by about a quarter of an inch (0.6cm) an hour in the village of Burrowbridge.
The main rail route into Devon and Cornwall via Bridgwater remains cut off by problems caused by flooding and storm damage. The line from Paddington to Exeter via Newbury is expected to reopen on Monday following a drop in flood water levels at Athelney. The line from Waterloo to Exeter via Yeovil, closed by a landslip at Crewkerne on Saturday, has reopened.
In other developments:
The Met Office says the wind and rain will ease into Monday, though falling temperatures will mean some wintry showers.
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.
Tuesday could see as much as 30mm (1in) fall in the south-west of England and Wales, with more heavy rain expected on Wednesday and 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.
BBC Weather forecaster Helen Willetts said there was an indication from the long range satellite maps that there could be longer spells of dry weather in the south of England towards the end of the month.
He said some showers would be wintry, with snow likely on higher ground in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England.
The long-range forecast suggested there could be longer spells of dry weather in the south of England towards the end of the month, he added.
Train troubles
National Rail said the River Thames had flooded at several locations between Staines and Windsor & Eton Riverside stations early on Monday. Trains in the area are cancelled and replacement buses are "not available".
The main rail route into Devon and Cornwall via Bridgwater remains cut off by 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 Waterloo to Exeter via Yeovil, closed by a landslip at Crewkerne on Saturday, has reopened.
In other developments on Sunday:
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