Flood victims are bracing themselves for yet more misery as heavy rain, wind and snow are set to batter Britain.
Forecasters warned late yesterday that the appalling conditions which have ravaged communities show no signs of abating, with heavy rain expected today and Saturday.
A “multi-pronged attack” of wind, rain and snow is expected to strike today, with heavy rain leading to more potential flooding as downpours of up to 40mm could fall in just six hours, with gusts of up to 70mph, a Met Office spokesman said.
Around 56,000 households remain without power after gusts of up to 108mph battered parts of the country in the “Wild Wednesday” storms, which left one man dead and hundreds stranded as transport networks were hit.
Communities in southern, south west and central England remain at risk of flooding as heavy rain is expected today and tomorrow.
We ask people to remain vigilant and take action where necessary
The Environment Agency still has 16 severe flood warnings – which mean a risk to life – in place in the Thames Valley and Somerset, as well as 128 flood warnings across England and Wales.
As well as surface water problems the rain could also impact on already full to bursting rivers, while some coastal areas could be at risk as blustery conditions could bring large waves.
In the highlands of Wales, northern England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, the rain could turn to snow, with 5cm to 10cm falling above 300 metres and perhaps as much as 20cm above 400 metres. Windsor, Maidenhead and communities along the Thames in Surrey remain at high risk of flooding from the River Thames today, with significant flooding of homes and businesses expected.
The Thames has recorded some of its highest levels for 60 years, the Environment Agency said, and water levels are expected to rise again on the Thames and Severn, affecting places already experiencing flooding.
Flooding continues on the Somerset Levels and Moors, and there is still a high risk of coastal floods in Dorset.
Environment Agency chief executive Paul Leinster said: “We are continuing to see the very real and devastating impacts that flooding can have on communities and businesses. We know the distress that flooding can cause and are doing everything we can to reduce the impacts.
“Some communities will see a brief respite today, but unfortunately the risk of flooding will continue.
“We ask people to remain vigilant and take action where necessary.
“We expect to see river levels rising again with more rain forecast for Friday and Saturday.”
The Government’s chief fire and rescue adviser Peter Holland said that 70 per cent of the fire and rescue services in England and Wales were now involved in the flood relief effort.
“We are now seeing the largest deployment of fire and rescue service assets since the Second World War,” he said.