Flood-Hit Parts Of Britain Face Further Woe

Continuing high tides, heavy downpours and gale force winds are expected to bring further risks of flooding today in already swamped parts of the UK and Republic of Ireland.

UK forecasters warn the coast of Wales and southwest England, including the coasts and tidal areas of Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire, will continue to bear the brunt of the weather.

There are currently more than 400 flood alerts, warnings and severe warnings in place across England and Wales, according to the Environment Agency.

Of those, three are severe flood warnings - the highest level of alert meaning there is an imminent danger to life - issued along the Severn estuary, near Gloucester.

Flooding in central Limerick, Ireland (pic: Sean Keogh/@Fame_For_Sale)

On Saturday in the Republic of Ireland dozens of people were rescued and the army was drafted in to deal with "unprecedented" flooding in Limerick City after the river Shannon burst its banks.

With gusts of almost 80mph in coastal areas of the country, several parts were hit by flooding and at one stage 5,500 homes and properties were left without power, 4,000 of them in Ennis, Co Clare.

Several flights out of Dublin airport were cancelled because of the strong winds.

Environment Agency staff have been hard at work near the Somerset village of Burrowbridge, where several road closures remain in place.

Large waves caused by high winds and spring tides batter Lahinc

Road access to the village from the neighbouring Moorlands has been shut off, with several large-scale pumps being used to direct the water out into the bursting River Barrett.

Huge sandbags have been placed by the waters edge, along with several signs erected by residents urging the authorities to "dredge the river".

In the north of England, Cumbria County Council said its workers had to deal with a "major weather incident" in West Cumbria - after 150 tons of debris brought on the by the floods washed up on a road.

In west Wales 10 people were rescued after the bus they were travelling in was hit by a big wave near Newgale.

Milford Haven Coastguard was contacted just after 7pm last night with reports the bus was stuck on the seafront and was surrounded by water. The wind at the time was gusting over 50mph.

The Anchor Bleu in Bosham (pic Stephen Sumner)

Meanwhile, tests for Sky News have found floodwater in Somerset, where the floods have persisted for weeks, contains 60 times the amount of safe bacteria for agricultural water.

Microbiologist Nathaniel Storey, who carried out the research, said the results were not unexpected given the extent of the flooding.

"It's perhaps unsurprising considering there's septic tanks in these people's gardens that are overflowing and animals within close proximity," he told Sky News.

"Therefore all this excrement that's in these areas is being dredged up by the floodwater and taken into houses and into gardens."

Mr Storey predicted it would take "about two to three months" for the bacterial levels to drop significantly, and warned that those involved in the clean-up operation must take precautions such as washing hands.

Some areas of Somerset has been under several inches of stagnant water

David Cameron has admitted it was "not acceptable" for people to have to live in the conditions they have faced for the past month and said dredging would begin "as soon it is safe to do so".

But Ian Liddell-Grainger, Conservative MP for Bridgwater in Somerset, said the county's constituents were "sick to death" of the situation in the South West.

The MP hit out at the Environment Agency for what he described as its failure to dredge the river, and called on the Government to hand over money that would bring a reprieve to beleaguered communities.

Following a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergencies committee yesterday, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said that all requests from local authorities and emergency services for additional support had been met.

"Everything possible is being done over the weekend to help those affected by flooding and to prepare for the further bad weather and high tides forecast overnight and into next week," he said.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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