No end in sight for UK rain as floods misery continue

• Yet again, the UK is at the mercy of another powerful storm, bringing heavy rain and severe gales – especially to southern and western parts of the UK, writes Liam Dutton.
• Gusts of wind have hit 70-80mph for coastal areas, with 50-60mph inland, accompanied by heavy downpours – exacerbating the flooding situation on the Somerset Levels.
• Sunday will still be windy, although not as windy as Saturday, with gusts around southern and western coasts closer to 60mph. There’ll also be further heavy showers – more especially in the west.
• Looking further head to next week, a powerful jet stream will spawn further spells of wet and windy weather, with no sign of things settling down anytime soon.

The crisis-hit Somerset Levels where many residents have already been forced from their homes after weeks of heavy rain remain at the highest risk of continued flooding.

The Environment Agency (EA) also highlighted the coastline of Devon and Dorset as being at “significant risk” of new flooding as high tides and winds arrive.

There are more than 300 low-level flood alerts and nearly 200 medium-risk flood warnings in place across Wales and southern and central England as north as Hull.

The storm will move north-eastwards bringing with it winds of up to 70mph and heavy showers throughout today, weather forecasters MeteoGroup said.

The continued storms come after the prime minister pledged to do everything he can to help the flood-stricken communities of the Somerset Levels but warned solutions would take some time.

Faced furious residents

David Cameron’s visit to the region on Friday coincided with a trip by beleaguered EA chairman Lord Smith to the area, where he faced furious residents and calls to quit.

Mr Cameron travelled to the Somerset Levels via helicopter – meaning he was able to view the region’s 65 square miles of submerged land first-hand.

“It’s a biblical scene,” Mr Cameron said.

“The scale of it here in Somerset is immense when you think of how many square miles are under water.

“Clearly people here have faced a very tough time and continue to face a tough time and that’s why we have got to do everything we can to help.”

More support from the emergency services, more pumps and more money will be available to help Somerset, he promised residents.

“Everything that can be done will be done and I’ll make sure that happens,” he added.

Here comes the rain… #ukstorm pic.twitter.com/QAodPmd8Kv

— Liam Dutton (@liamdutton) February 7, 2014

‘More intensive’ dredging

He also admitted that the decision to stop dredging the Tone and Perrett rivers in the 1990s was “wrong” and a period or more “intensive” dredging was needed.

But Ian Liddell-Grainger, the Conservative MP for flood-hit Bridgwater and West Somerset, told the Daily Mail it was not enough and that foreign aid money should be diverted to help Britain’s flooded regions.

He said: “We send money all over the world now we need to give people down here the hope that they will get what they need.

“We should divert some of it down here. We don’t have to divert it forever, but we need it now.”

Neil Parish, the Conservative MP for Tiverton and Honiton in Devon, told the Daily Mail: ‘We’ve got to make sure we look after our own at this stage. Foreign aid is good, but it is wasted.

“We need to make sure that money comes straight to the West Country. We’ve got to rebuild coastal defences and railways.”

Marines hitching a ride through Moorland #somersetfloods pic.twitter.com/vVW4cHVXpk

— Andy Davies (@adavies4) February 7, 2014

‘He should walk’

On Friday Mr Liddell-Grainger attacked Lord Smith over his first visit to the Levels since the flooding began at Christmas.

“I will tell him what I bloody well think of him – he should go, he should walk.” he fumed.

“I’m livid. This little git has never even been on the telephone to me.

“He’s a coward.”

The under-fire Labour peer was met with calls to resign from angry residents who have criticised the EA for their slow response and failing to dredge the rivers.

He said: “I have no intention of resigning because I’m very proud of the work the Environment Agency and its staff have been doing right round the country in the face of the most extreme weather.”

Mr Cameron and Lord Smith’s visits – a week after Environment Secretary Owen Paterson was heckled by local residents – came as Royal Marines were helping evacuate some 140 properties in the village of Moorland.

People defied evacuation requests

Another night of heavy rain overwhelmed local flood defences and, despite advice from police, a handful of people have chosen to remain in their homes.

As residents have struggled to cope with the rising water, police arrested three men on suspicion of stealing fuel from near the cut-off village of Muchelney.

The arrests follow the theft of 600 gallons of domestic heating oil from a farm in Moorland and the theft of two fire service quad bikes from Burrowbridge last week.

Around 5,000 properties have been affected by flooding across the country, including 40 in Somerset.