No let-up for flood chaos

MORE PA RTS of the UK could face flood misery after forecasters warned some areas will be hit by torrential downpours overnight.

Severe weather alerts have been put in place for south east England, the south west and Wales.

Some places can expect between 30mm and 40mm of rainfall overnight, with areas of Somerset and Dorset being hit by up to 20mm of rain in just two to three hours, the Met Office said.

The news comes as Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said the Government would provide £130 million for emergency repairs and maintenance.

Mr Pickles, standing in for Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, who was undergoing emergency eye surgery on his retina, told the Commons the severe weather had caused damage to the transport network and sea defences, as well as power lines.

Homes in flood-hit areas have been evacuated and gusts of wind and storms have destroyed a stretch of railway track in Dawlish, Devon.

Prime Minister David Cameron was due to chair a meeting of the Government’s Cobra emergency committee yesterday, Mr Pickles said.

Britain has been battered by heavy rain and gale force winds and the relentless adverse weather shows no sign of abating.

Hundreds of flood alerts have been issued, including two severe warnings, signifying a danger to life.

The Met Office said it has been the wettest December and January combined for more than 100 years.

A cross the UK, rain fell on 23 out of the 31 days in January.

There was 183.8mm of rainfall January, 51% higher than the average.

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Between mid-December and the end of January, southern England was deluged with more than five months’ worth of rainfall, figures show.

A nd there is no reprieve in sight, with forecasters predicting more rain in coming days.

Met Office spokeswoman Laura Young said: “There is this deep depression which is going to bring a further 20mm to 40mm of rain tonight to the south west, the south east coast and south Wales.

“Locally, you could see 10mm to 20mm falling within a two to three hour period over Somerset and Dorset during tonight.”

She said there will be a short reprieve tomorrow morning before the whole of the UK will be “engulfed” by heavy rain overnight on Friday.

“We are looking at another 10mm to 20mm widespread. It will be heaviest across southern England,” she said.

“Locally, in the area within the amber warning you could see 30mm, so it will lead to further flooding, unfortunately.”

Tomorrow, severe winds will batter the UK.

“It’s going to be incredibly windy,” Ms Young added.

Some areas of exposed coastline could see gusts of wind of more than 80mph she said.

Mr Pickles said 5,000 properties have been affected by flooding, including 40 in Somerset.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Network Rail were in discussions with the Ministry of Defence to determine whether the armed forces were able to provide assistance with disruption to railway services.

Picture: PA. Water from the Northmoor pumping station flows into the River Parrett in Northmoor, Somerset.