Orangeesh
15-01-2008, 06:29 PM
Thirteen flood watches and eight flood warnings have been issued across the UK as bad weather continues to batter the country.
An Environment Agency spokesman said the weather is likely to ease off but another band of rain and gale-force winds will hit the south coast later.
He said: "The Environment Agency is monitoring the situation closely. River levels are already high across the region and more rainfall could lead to these rivers swelling further."
Motorists were forced to abandon their cars on flooded roads across Dorset and a number of trees fell down in the stormy weather.
Affected areas included Bradford Abbas, near Sherborne, where a van was stuck in "waist-high water".
Police, firefighters and the force helicopter were called to help another driver stuck in his van on Bagber Bridge, near Stalbridge, Dorset, after 2pm.
Several cars were also abandoned and needed recovering after they became stuck in "boot-level" floodwater on the A3030 at Bishops Caundle, near Sherborne.
Elsewhere, the Port of Dover has been closed to shipping movements due to severe weather conditions of up to force nine winds in the Channel, a port spokeswoman said.
She advised people to contact their operator before travelling.
On Friday, flash flooding brought cars and trains to a standstill in the region as over 30mm of rain fell and travellers were delayed by motorway closures on the M5 and train diversions on the Great Western railway.
Last July, chaos hit western England and the Midlands after the worst flooding recorded since 1947 saw over 4,000 homes and 500 businesses across Gloucestershire affected.
Many residents of flood-hit Tewkesbury still remain in caravans after being displaced from their homes.
Kelly Bartlett, chairman of the Longlevens Flood Committee in Gloucester, one of the city's worst-affected wards, said the council had begun last-ditch efforts to widen and deepen the brook which runs through her area and residents were busy lining the streets with sandbags.
She said: "We've only just moved back into our homes after the flooding last summer. On Friday we were fighting once again to save ourselves from flooding. It's ridiculous. We can't live like this, every time it rains we're running home to save our possessions."
Information on how to prepare for flooding and the latest flood warnings by calling the floodline on 08459 881188.
An Environment Agency spokesman said the weather is likely to ease off but another band of rain and gale-force winds will hit the south coast later.
He said: "The Environment Agency is monitoring the situation closely. River levels are already high across the region and more rainfall could lead to these rivers swelling further."
Motorists were forced to abandon their cars on flooded roads across Dorset and a number of trees fell down in the stormy weather.
Affected areas included Bradford Abbas, near Sherborne, where a van was stuck in "waist-high water".
Police, firefighters and the force helicopter were called to help another driver stuck in his van on Bagber Bridge, near Stalbridge, Dorset, after 2pm.
Several cars were also abandoned and needed recovering after they became stuck in "boot-level" floodwater on the A3030 at Bishops Caundle, near Sherborne.
Elsewhere, the Port of Dover has been closed to shipping movements due to severe weather conditions of up to force nine winds in the Channel, a port spokeswoman said.
She advised people to contact their operator before travelling.
On Friday, flash flooding brought cars and trains to a standstill in the region as over 30mm of rain fell and travellers were delayed by motorway closures on the M5 and train diversions on the Great Western railway.
Last July, chaos hit western England and the Midlands after the worst flooding recorded since 1947 saw over 4,000 homes and 500 businesses across Gloucestershire affected.
Many residents of flood-hit Tewkesbury still remain in caravans after being displaced from their homes.
Kelly Bartlett, chairman of the Longlevens Flood Committee in Gloucester, one of the city's worst-affected wards, said the council had begun last-ditch efforts to widen and deepen the brook which runs through her area and residents were busy lining the streets with sandbags.
She said: "We've only just moved back into our homes after the flooding last summer. On Friday we were fighting once again to save ourselves from flooding. It's ridiculous. We can't live like this, every time it rains we're running home to save our possessions."
Information on how to prepare for flooding and the latest flood warnings by calling the floodline on 08459 881188.