UK FLOODS - Emergency services have been battling to deliver Fresh Water To 350,000 People

Flood crisis grows as rivers rise

The flooding crisis in central and western England continues with thousands of homes losing water and electricity supplies.

Up to 350,000 people in Gloucestershire will be left without running water by Monday evening, as the Severn and Thames rivers threaten to overflow.

The Environment Agency said water levels on both rivers had exceeded those of devastating floods in 1947.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he would set up a review of the crisis.

Mr Brown flew by helicopter over Gloucestershire, the worst-affected county, before heading to the police headquarters where the emergency response is being co-ordinated.

The review would look at drainage and flood defences, while extra funding would help pay for essential emergency work in the aftermath of the crisis, Mr Brown said.

The Environment Agency said water levels on the River Severn at Gloucester could peak early on Tuesday, while the level of the Thames in Oxford may not peak until early on Wednesday.

Severe flood warnings are in place for the Midlands, Oxfordshire and Bedfordshire. At their height, some rivers will be more than 20ft higher than normal.

Prime Minister To Visit Flood-Hit Areas

Updated: 22:40, Sunday July 22, 2007

Prime Minister Gordon Brown is to visit flood-hit areas of Britain as millions of gallons of water continue to overwhelm rivers and bring more misery.

The PM is due to survey first hand the damage which has devastated counties such as Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire.

He planned the tour after chairing a meeting of the Cobra emergency contingencies committee to discuss the crisis.

There are still at least eight serious flood warnings in place, with the Rivers Severn and Thames set to burst their banks.

Environment Agency chief executive Baroness Young said about £1 billion a year would be needed to help protect Britain from torrential storms in the future.

Floods are judgment on society, say bishops

By Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Sunday Telegraph

Last Updated: 2:01am BST 02/07/2007

The floods that have devastated swathes of the country are God's judgment on the immorality and greed of modern society, according to senior Church of England bishops.

One diocesan bishop has even claimed that laws that have undermined marriage, including the introduction of pro-gay legislation, have provoked God to act by sending the storms that have left thousands of people homeless.

While those who have been affected by the storms are innocent victims, the bishops argue controversially that the flooding is a result of Western civilisation's decision to ignore biblical teaching.

The Rt Rev Graham Dow, Bishop of Carlisle, argued that the floods are not just a result of a lack of respect for the planet, but also a judgment on society's moral decadence.

"This is a strong and definite judgment because the world has been arrogant in going its own way," he said. "We are reaping the consequences of our moral degradation, as well as the environmental damage that we have caused."

The bishop, who is a leading evangelical, said that people should heed the stories of the Bible, which described the downfall of the Roman empire as a result of its immorality.

'Stay at home plea' in floods chaos

Press Association

Saturday July 21, 2007 10:33 PM

A further plea for people to stay indoors was issued as the pressure on emergency services reached a peak in the face of the floods across the country.

A spokesman for the West Mercia multi-agency strategic co-ordination group asked people not to add to the current difficulties in the south Worcestershire region. "No one should travel unless it is absolutely necessary," he said.

"Emergency services are now able to deal only with life-threatening calls - which clearly indicates the current seriousness of the situation. We are also appealing to the public not to call any of the emergency services unless it is a life-threatening situation.

"After more than 24 hours of dealing with the results of the flooding, fire, police and ambulance services are at full stretch."

Two months' rain

The Environment Agency has issued 11 severe flood warnings for the Midlands alone, with parts of the Rivers Severn, Avon, Dene, Isbourne, Stour and Teme affected.

It has also issued warnings for Oxfordshire, Berkshire and London over the coming days after some areas received more than two months' rain in just 24 hours.

Parts of Oxford and nearby Abingdon were likely to be flooded by Sunday, the agency predicted.

The main developments include:

* Lifeboat crews rescued holidaymakers stranded on top of their caravans in Droitwich, Kidderminster, Wick, Pershore and Hawford

* About 2,000 people spent the night in emergency centres in Tewkesbury, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Chipping Campden and Moreton in Marsh

* Twenty-two schoolchildren and eight members of staff from Blackwood school in Newport, Gwent spent the night in Ludlow's leisure centre overnight when they were stranded by the floods

* In Birmingham 200 people were evacuated from Witton and Tame Roads in the Aston district when the River Tame overflowed at about midnight

* Lincolnshire County Council said the flooding was worse on Saturday than on Friday, with widespread road flooding across the county, including Louth and Horncastle

* About 70 homes and shops in Buckingham have been flooded following rising levels on the River Ouse. More than 2,500 sandbags have been used to try to limit the damage to property

* The RSPCA have dealt with cattle up to their shoulders in water near Shrewsbury, and six cats and two boa constrictors in a flooded home near Evesham. Emus and sheep were also caught in high water

Thousands of drivers are still stuck in their cars after spending the night on motorways following a midsummer monsoon that caused travel chaos - and there is more misery to come.

Thousands more with flooded homes were forced to spend the night in emergency centres.

The worst-hit area was the M5 in Worcestershire, which has been at a standstill since last night.

The major flood rescue operation also saw lifeboat crews rescue holidaymakers stranded on top of caravans.