Troops on flood alert standby

12 April 2012

Troops and lifeboat crews are on standby to assist if heavy rain brings more misery to flood-stricken communities.

Military personnel have joined emergency services in some of the worst-hit areas of Britain to provide reassurance and aid to affected residents amid fears that conditions could become even worse.

Authorities prepared sandbags, heavy-duty water pumps and rescue centres on Saturday, warning people in some areas to pack emergency bags in case they were evacuated.

But emergency co-ordinators said the latest weather forecasts suggested South Yorkshire - one of the worst affected areas - would escape fresh flooding.

Forecaster Liz Anetts, from MeteoGroup UK, the Press Association's weather division, warned people in the Doncaster area there was "a lot more rain to come".

Residents could expect 15mm of rain overnight, followed by heavy, thundery showers.

She said: "It's not going to be one of the worst hit places, but it's just adding to what's gone before."

Most parts of England and Wales will see 15-20mm of rain over the weekend - but this is less severe than early last week, when in some areas 50mm fell in two hours.

Ms Anetts said: "This rain alone isn't enough to cause flooding but it's all going to exacerbate the problems which have already been experienced."

The Environment Agency currently has five severe flood warnings in place for north-east England, with further disruption expected in South Yorkshire along the River Don and Ea Beck at Toll Bar, near Doncaster. There are also 22 flood warnings - 14 for the north-east and eight for East Anglia - as well as numerous less serious flood watches.

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