Floods in Britain

The River Ouse in York has peaked at 4.5 metres, flooding more streets and businesses.

In north Wales many people were forced out of their homes overnight after parts of the River Elwy yesterday burst its banks and flooded more than 400 properties.

Forecasters have predicted that the region will remain largely dry overnight.

But hundreds of flood warnings still remain in place across the country and the Environment Agency last night said there was still a possibility of more flooding and disruption for the next 48 hours.

John Lee, a forecaster for Meteo Group, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "Generally across the UK temperatures have taken a dip today. Most areas are dry but feeling very cold and there will be a widespread frost. In places like the North York Moors there will be wintry showers.

"Parts of Northern Scotland could seem some fairly heavy wintry showers later on in the week.

"Tonight temperatures could reach as low as -4°c or -5°c in Scotland and it'll be around zero or -1°c across most other parts of the UK."

The body of an elderly woman was discovered yesterday in her flooded bungalow home in St Asaph, where she had lived for four decades.

Margaret Hughes was found by police and fire rescue officers as they searched houses flooded with deep water in the area, where more than 500 people were evacuated.

This morning community groups in St Asaph were meeting to coordinate the clean-up operation and to help those who have been evacuated from their homes.

St Asaph mayor, Councillor John Roberts said the community had been "inundated with offers of support and help."

Environment Agency Wales said the situation is improving but five flood warnings and 13 alerts are still I place.

The Environment Agency has said rivers and groundwater will continue to rise before reaching a peak on Thursday, with 1,100 properties already flooded.

This morning it warned of a risk of flooding in Gloucester, Salisbury, Oxford, Sunbury, Abingdon and York, while mobile flood defences have been erected in Shrewsbury and Bewdley in Worcestershire.

It highlighted areas around slow-responding rivers including the Thames, Trent and the Severn were at particular risk.

Some 173 flood warnings and 184 flood alerts are still in place across England and Wales, along with two severe flood warnings in the devastated city of St Asaph, Denbighshire and around Rhuddlan, both in north Wales.

Gemma Plumb of MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said the weather is expected to remain mainly dry for most of the UK today and throughout the week, with any showers predicted to be significantly lighter than recent days. But more severe weather could be on the way.

She added that the weather will turn cold, dropping to below freezing at night.

She said: "There are hints that from Sunday some persistent and heavy rain could come across from the west over the UK, preceded by some snow."

The body of the elderly woman was found at around midday yesterday in her bungalow home in St Asaph, North Wales, where displaced residents are taking shelter in local leisure centres.

A spokesman for North Wales police said the death was "unexplained" and is not being treated as suspicious. The cause of death has not yet been established.

A 92-year-old local man was rescued by British Red Cross volunteers after he became trapped in his house, as the River Elwy rose to record levels.

More than 500 others were evacuated to hastily-arranged shelters in memorial halls and leisure centres after being woken in the middle of the night.

Experts believe the worst of the heavy rain is now over, with further torrential downpours in the north east of England yesterday, but still fear lives are at risk with river levels yet to peak.

The Environment Agency has raised the flood alert in North Wales to its highest level, with two “severe” warnings defined as “danger to life”.

A spokesman said: “Although the weather forecast is improving, further property flooding and disruption is possible across the country as river and groundwater levels are set to peak in the next 48 hours.

“Large, slow responding rivers, including the Thames, Trent and the Severn, are particularly at risk.”

Parts of Gloucester, Salisbury, Oxford, Sunbury, Abingdon and York, are expected to flood, while mobile flood defences have been erected in Shrewsbury and Bewdley in Worcestershire.

Schools were closed and sandbags distributed in Oxford, as rowers were warned of rising water levels in Henley-upon-Thames.

There are another 181 warnings across the country meaning “immediate action” is required, with a further 209 less serious alerts in areas where flooding is possible.

Those living in Darlington, Pickering and Sinnington in North Yorkshire, are believed to be at the greatest risk, with river levels expected to peak last night. The River Thames will continue to rise today.

Three people have already died in flooding over the weekend, with a 21-year-old woman being crushed by a falling tree and a 50-year-old man falling into a canal.

John McNair, a 77-year-old retired company director, also died after his 4x4 vehicle got wedged under a bridge in high-level water in a swollen ford following heavy rain in Chew Stoke, Somerset.

Dan Williams, forecaster at the Met Office, confirmed the worst of the rain was now over for much of Britain, with colder temperatures and the threat of ice moving in instead.

By Thursday night, frost and ice is expected to affect areas in the north, Midlands and Wales, with temperatures as low as -5C in rural areas.

“We will see much drier weather,” he said. “Flood waters should start to fall back, but we will still have the problem of seepage.

“With cold temperature that does pose an ice risk, so we will be keeping a close eye on it.”

A spokesman for the Weather Channel warned there would be a “greater risk of hail, sleet and snow showers along the east coast, northern Scotland and over the west of Wales”, with more than 5cm as far south as east Kent.

Temperatures would drop as low as -15C in northern Scotland by Sunday night, it claimed.

Yesterday, the AA reported more than 1,000 calls every hour, with more than double the average number of breakdowns.

In St Asaph, North Wales, RNLI lifeboat volunteers spent the day visiting properties in the area to lift the elderly and vulnerable to safety.

Mother-of-two Helen Ross, 37, who works at a local school, said she had never seen the river rise so high.

"My husband phoned me at 7am to say parts of the city were being evacuated,” she said. “I looked out of the window and there was water over the road and then, within an hour, it was in the house.

"We've lost everything downstairs. It's heartbreaking."

In the village of Sandhurst, Gloucestershire, firefighters used a specially-designed hovercraft to rescue people trapped in their homes who could not be reached by rescue boat.

In Somerset, a fund has been started to raise money for people affected by heavy flooding, with the county council giving the first donation of £50,000.

Members of the armed forces in Yorkshire were said to be poised to assist with rescues if their services were called upon.

John Curtin, head of incident management at the Environment Agency, said: “Our thoughts remain with those that have been affected by flooding.

“Further flooding is expected in the next few days and communities across the country, particularly in northeast England, north Wales, Northamptonshire, are urged to remain especially vigilant."