UK Environment Agency Issues 181 Flood Watches, 63 Flood Warnings In South & Wales - Independent

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By last night, the Environment Agency had issued 181 flood watches and 63 flood warnings, including one covering the stretch of the Severn that passes through Tewkesbury, after a band of heavy rain swept across southern England, causing disruption and localised flooding from Dorset to Dover. There were no severe flood warnings, the highest level of alert, and the agency said conditions were not as extreme as they were last July.

But forecasters warned that the next 48 hours will be crucial for Wales and the South-west. If further heavy rain falls today and tomorrow, rivers could start to overflow. As the floodplain was saturated by wet weather last week, it could lead to flash flooding. An Environment Agency spokeswoman said: "People should be vigilant over the next 48 hours as the rain water moves down from the hills and into the river system. We have moved quickly to put up flood defences where necessary."

All of this was of little comfort to concerned homeowners in the worst-hit corners of Tewkesbury, a town founded for its strategic position at the meeting point of two of England's major rivers and now haunted by their insidious, destructive power.

Heavy rainfall last weekend once more brought the flood waters to within 10 metres of the town's medieval abbey. Yesterday they were still lapping around the historic centre as it echoed to sound of the machine tools of builders still putting right last summer's damage, and homeowners once more moved belongings to upper floors and made sandbag barriers.

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http://environment.independent.co.uk/green_living/article3342176.ece