CLOSE to 90 flood warnings have been put in place across England ahead of people travelling there for Christmas.
Areas affected stretch from Middlesbrough down to the south coast. The Environment Agency (EA) has put in place 88 flood warnings as well as a further 227 flooding alerts, meaning there is a risk of flash flooding and standing water. Around 90 properties have been flooded – about 60 in the South East and around 30 in Devon and Cornwall.
The EA warned that with more rain likely today and tomorrow, the flood threat would continue for the next few days in southern and central England.
It advised people to stay away from swollen rivers and not to drive through standing water, while Thames Valley Police has urged drivers not to ignore “road closed” signs placed on the routes most at risk of flooding.
An EA spokesperson said: “We continue to monitor rainfall and river levels closely, and operate our flood defences, reducing the risk of flooding to thousands of homes and businesses.”
So far this autumn, rainfall records in several regions of the country have been broken, and across England it has been the fifth wettest autumn since records began.
While yesterday was a wet and miserable day for most people, some respite is on the horizon, according to the Met Office. Meteorologist Steven Keates said: “There is still some rain in the forecast but on the whole it’s not looking as wet as it has in the last few days which I think for most people is good news.”
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