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| UK weather: Army scrambled as flooded Thames Valley sees record river gauges and cancelled train services – and it hasn’t even started raining yet | UK weather: Army scrambled as flooded Thames Valley sees record river gauges and cancelled train services – and it hasn’t even started raining yet |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Thousands of homes are under threat, train services have been cancelled and the Marines called in to the Thames Valley, ahead of forecasts for yet more storms to hit Britain later today. | Thousands of homes are under threat, train services have been cancelled and the Marines called in to the Thames Valley, ahead of forecasts for yet more storms to hit Britain later today. |
| While two severe flood warnings remained in place for the stricken Somerset Levels, 14 new alerts in the most serious category – meaning real danger to life and property – have been issued across a long stretch of the River Thames. | While two severe flood warnings remained in place for the stricken Somerset Levels, 14 new alerts in the most serious category – meaning real danger to life and property – have been issued across a long stretch of the River Thames. |
| Several gauges along the river are now showing their highest levels since being installed in the 1980s and 90s, the BBC reported, as water seeps through from the saturated Thames catchment area. | Several gauges along the river are now showing their highest levels since being installed in the 1980s and 90s, the BBC reported, as water seeps through from the saturated Thames catchment area. |
| The most vulnerable are reportedly being evacuated from their homes, as military personnel from the Marines and Army worked throughout the weekend to deploy sandbags and build up makeshift river defences. | The most vulnerable are reportedly being evacuated from their homes, as military personnel from the Marines and Army worked throughout the weekend to deploy sandbags and build up makeshift river defences. |
| It all comes as forecasters warned of yet another set of storms to hit Britain later tonight, bringing heavy rain up to 40mm (2ins) for many areas by the end of Thursday. | It all comes as forecasters warned of yet another set of storms to hit Britain later tonight, bringing heavy rain up to 40mm (2ins) for many areas by the end of Thursday. |
| And with flood waters already at dangerous levels today on what experts said would be the “driest day of the week”, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles warned of “significant” problems to come across the Thames Valley. | And with flood waters already at dangerous levels today on what experts said would be the “driest day of the week”, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles warned of “significant” problems to come across the Thames Valley. |
| Speaking to the BBC, Berkshire councillor Colin Rayner 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.” | Speaking to the BBC, Berkshire councillor Colin Rayner 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.” |
| With bands of rain forecast to affect the whole country this week, falling as snow on higher ground across northern England, Wales and Scotland, the Environment Agency has almost 150 flood warnings and more than 225 less serious flood alerts in place. | With bands of rain forecast to affect the whole country this week, falling as snow on higher ground across northern England, Wales and Scotland, the Environment Agency has almost 150 flood warnings and more than 225 less serious flood alerts in place. |
| Thames Valley train services have now been affected, with severe flooding in the Berkshire village of Datchet meaning a number of routes south and east of Oxford have been cut off. | Thames Valley train services have now been affected, with severe flooding in the Berkshire village of Datchet meaning a number of routes south and east of Oxford have been cut off. |
| National Rail said in a statement that there had also been flooding at a number of locations “between Staines and Windsor and Eton Riverside”. “Because of this, trains are unable to run and a replacement bus service is not available,” it said. | National Rail said in a statement that there had also been flooding at a number of locations “between Staines and Windsor and Eton Riverside”. “Because of this, trains are unable to run and a replacement bus service is not available,” it said. |
| Meanwhile, rail services from London to the south west were still badly diminished after the collapse of a section of track and sea wall at Dawlish in Devon. | Meanwhile, rail services from London to the south west were still badly diminished after the collapse of a section of track and sea wall at Dawlish in Devon. |
| In the Somerset Levels, which have been flooded since around Christmas, water pumps continue to operate “24/7”, an Environment Agency spokesperson said. | In the Somerset Levels, which have been flooded since around Christmas, water pumps continue to operate “24/7”, an Environment Agency spokesperson said. |
| He said: “We're expecting the water levels to rise as the rain comes in, but we're working around the clock,” adding that the agency’s main focus has now shifted to the Thames. | He said: “We're expecting the water levels to rise as the rain comes in, but we're working around the clock,” adding that the agency’s main focus has now shifted to the Thames. |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the Energy Secretary Ed Davey warned against ministers using the ongoing floods in political “blame games”. | Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the Energy Secretary Ed Davey warned against ministers using the ongoing floods in political “blame games”. |
| “The Government is focused on helping the people, the communities, the businesses who are struggling because of this weather, these floods,“ he said this morning. | “The Government is focused on helping the people, the communities, the businesses who are struggling because of this weather, these floods,“ he said this morning. |
| “The Prime Minister's doing that, I will be doing that and I think the whole Government needs to do that. That has got to be our focus. Blame games I'm afraid are really not the focus.” | “The Prime Minister's doing that, I will be doing that and I think the whole Government needs to do that. That has got to be our focus. Blame games I'm afraid are really not the focus.” |
| Mr Pickles has taken over control of the Government’s emergency flood response after Environment Secretary Owen Paterson had to have emergency eye surgery. | Mr Pickles has taken over control of the Government’s emergency flood response after Environment Secretary Owen Paterson had to have emergency eye surgery. |
| Yesterday he blamed bad Environment Agency advice for the scale of the damage to the Somerset Levels and declined to dismiss calls for the former Labour cabinet minister to resign. | Yesterday he blamed bad Environment Agency advice for the scale of the damage to the Somerset Levels and declined to dismiss calls for the former Labour cabinet minister to resign. |
| “We made a mistake, there's no doubt about that and we perhaps relied too much on the Environment Agency's advice,” Mr Pickles told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show. | “We made a mistake, there's no doubt about that and we perhaps relied too much on the Environment Agency's advice,” Mr Pickles told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show. |
| “I am really sorry that we took the advice ... we thought we were dealing with experts.” | “I am really sorry that we took the advice ... we thought we were dealing with experts.” |
| Surrey Police and Thames Valley Police confirmed they are now working with the military, and issued safety advice for residents in areas that are expected to be affected by flooding. A spokesman for Surrey Police said up to 2,500 homes are currently regard as at risk. | Surrey Police and Thames Valley Police confirmed they are now working with the military, and issued safety advice for residents in areas that are expected to be affected by flooding. A spokesman for Surrey Police said up to 2,500 homes are currently regard as at risk. |
| Last night David Cameron chaired a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee. Emerging afterwards, he said he had “ made clear again that every resource is available to the local communities affected”. |