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| Floods: Hundreds evacuated and thousands more at risk | Floods: Hundreds evacuated and thousands more at risk |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| About 1,000 homes on the River Thames have been evacuated and thousands more people are at risk from flooding, the Environment Agency has said. | |
| Fourteen severe flood warnings, meaning a potential risk to life, are in place on the River Thames in Surrey and Berkshire, with two in Somerset. | |
| The Met Office has warned of further heavy rain later in the week. | |
| Surrey Police has declared a "major incident" and has deployed more than 100 officers. | Surrey Police has declared a "major incident" and has deployed more than 100 officers. |
| The force said it had been overwhelmed with 999 calls overnight and urged people to only call in an emergency. | The force said it had been overwhelmed with 999 calls overnight and urged people to only call in an emergency. |
| People are being evacuated from properties near to Walton Bridge by the Army. | People are being evacuated from properties near to Walton Bridge by the Army. |
| Soldiers from the Royal Engineers are also helping residents in Thames Meadow, near Shepperton. | Soldiers from the Royal Engineers are also helping residents in Thames Meadow, near Shepperton. |
| Prayers will be said for people affected by the recent floods at St John's Church, Egham, on Tuesday and on Wednesday at Holy Trinity Church in Chertsey. | Prayers will be said for people affected by the recent floods at St John's Church, Egham, on Tuesday and on Wednesday at Holy Trinity Church in Chertsey. |
| Runnymede Council has set up a 24-hour rest centre to provide shelter for residents. | Runnymede Council has set up a 24-hour rest centre to provide shelter for residents. |
| Rail passengers to the west of London have also faced major disruption because of the flooding. | Rail passengers to the west of London have also faced major disruption because of the flooding. |
| 'Challenging time' | 'Challenging time' |
| Surrey Police Ch Supt Matt Twist said: "Officers and staff from Surrey and Sussex Police are working around the clock to assist in supporting local residents affected by the severe flooding. | Surrey Police Ch Supt Matt Twist said: "Officers and staff from Surrey and Sussex Police are working around the clock to assist in supporting local residents affected by the severe flooding. |
| "Our staff continue to go above and beyond the call of duty. | "Our staff continue to go above and beyond the call of duty. |
| "This is a challenging time for everyone involved and we are working closely with the fire service, the military and local authorities to keep people safe and help them protect their properties." | "This is a challenging time for everyone involved and we are working closely with the fire service, the military and local authorities to keep people safe and help them protect their properties." |
| First Great Western said it would only be able to run four trains an hour between Reading and London Paddington because of flooding near Maidenhead, Berkshire. | First Great Western said it would only be able to run four trains an hour between Reading and London Paddington because of flooding near Maidenhead, Berkshire. |
| South West Trains, Southeastern and Southern are also operating very limited services. | South West Trains, Southeastern and Southern are also operating very limited services. |
| The water is lapping at the door of Mike Berwick's house in Chertsey Lane, Staines. | The water is lapping at the door of Mike Berwick's house in Chertsey Lane, Staines. |
| He has moved valuable and important items upstairs, but added: "We're all very stressed. We have been watching the water coming up for days. | He has moved valuable and important items upstairs, but added: "We're all very stressed. We have been watching the water coming up for days. |
| "It is the creeping inevitability of it all that is the worst bit. | "It is the creeping inevitability of it all that is the worst bit. |
| "The Army delivered some sandbags but at this stage how can you hold it back? | "The Army delivered some sandbags but at this stage how can you hold it back? |
| "It's utterly extraordinary and unprecedented, but it is down to 50 years of neglect not five weeks of rain." | "It's utterly extraordinary and unprecedented, but it is down to 50 years of neglect not five weeks of rain." |
| Rain warning | Rain warning |
| Homes, shops and businesses in Datchet, Berkshire, remain waterlogged after the village saw major flooding on Monday. | Homes, shops and businesses in Datchet, Berkshire, remain waterlogged after the village saw major flooding on Monday. |
| Georgia Fletcher has been forced to leave her home in Wraysbury. | Georgia Fletcher has been forced to leave her home in Wraysbury. |
| "It's not good here. Normally you can get down the road in just waders but it's too deep now. The water is up to the top of my thigh," she said. | "It's not good here. Normally you can get down the road in just waders but it's too deep now. The water is up to the top of my thigh," she said. |
| "I can't get anywhere near Wraysbury. We had sandbags delivered yesterday. | "I can't get anywhere near Wraysbury. We had sandbags delivered yesterday. |
| "It's distressing not being able to get back to your own house. My bedroom is on the ground floor. You don't know what you're going to come back to." | "It's distressing not being able to get back to your own house. My bedroom is on the ground floor. You don't know what you're going to come back to." |
| Defence Secretary Philip Hammond was tackled by residents in Wraysbury, who said they were "seriously in need" of military intervention. | |
| Mr Hammond said the "government has got a grip on this" but authorities cannot "prevent the course of nature". | |
| Tim Ashburner, from Marlow in Buckinghamshire, said: "If I was sitting in my chair in the studio today the water would be coming up to my waist. | |
| "The graveyard is flooded and there is no difference between upstream and downstream over the Marlow weir. | |
| "There's a lot of anger here." | |
| Thames Valley Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead said: "We are continuing to work with local communities and partner agencies to minimise the impact of flooding and protect as many homes and buildings as we can. | Thames Valley Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead said: "We are continuing to work with local communities and partner agencies to minimise the impact of flooding and protect as many homes and buildings as we can. |
| "The flooding in the whole of Thames Valley has been declared a major incident, which is declared when an incident requires a significant multi-agency response." | "The flooding in the whole of Thames Valley has been declared a major incident, which is declared when an incident requires a significant multi-agency response." |
| The Met Office has issued a yellow "be aware" warning for rain in the south-west, south and south-east of England as well as parts of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire. | The Met Office has issued a yellow "be aware" warning for rain in the south-west, south and south-east of England as well as parts of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire. |
| Dawlish railway | Dawlish railway |
| Flood levels on the River Severn in Worcestershire could rise further, according to the Environment Agency. | Flood levels on the River Severn in Worcestershire could rise further, according to the Environment Agency. |
| Chris Bainger said levels in Worcester were "steady" at 5.22m and could rise further on Thursday to about 5.6m - "very close" to the 5.66m recorded in the summer of 2007. | Chris Bainger said levels in Worcester were "steady" at 5.22m and could rise further on Thursday to about 5.6m - "very close" to the 5.66m recorded in the summer of 2007. |
| About 100 houses in Worcestershire and Herefordshire have been flooded. On Monday Worcester's main road bridge was shut for 24 hours because of the water levels. | About 100 houses in Worcestershire and Herefordshire have been flooded. On Monday Worcester's main road bridge was shut for 24 hours because of the water levels. |
| Water continues to surround properties in the village of Moorland on the Somerset Levels near Bridgwater. | Water continues to surround properties in the village of Moorland on the Somerset Levels near Bridgwater. |
| On Tuesday, Prime Minister David Cameron visited Dawlish on the Devon coast where the railway line was wrecked in a storm. | On Tuesday, Prime Minister David Cameron visited Dawlish on the Devon coast where the railway line was wrecked in a storm. |