More floods set for saturated areas
Warnings of yet more flooding have been issued as some areas face downpours which could see almost a month's rain fall in just a few hours.
The Environment Agency said people across central and eastern England should remain on alert for possible floods as heavy thunderstorms are forecast for many areas on Friday and Saturday.
The Met Office has issued another severe weather warning of heavy rain for parts of the Midlands, southern and eastern England and Wales, forecasting that many areas will see between 20mm and 30mm (0.8 to 1.2 inches) of rain.
Some parts could see up to 60mm (2.4 inches), almost the total average for the month of July, over a few hours.
The potentially intense showers on ground that is already saturated by months of rain could lead to surface water flooding, when the local drainage system cannot cope with rainfall, and possible river flooding.
The Environment Agency said river flooding could prove a problem particularly in parts of the Midlands and East Anglia, while there continued to be a risk of flooding from rising groundwater across parts of Dorset.
John Curtin, head of incident management at the Environment Agency, said: "We have experienced some severe weather in recent weeks and the risk of flooding remains high across England late Friday into Saturday, but particularly across the Midlands and the east of the country.
"The combination of saturated ground, high river levels and further forecasts of torrential rain mean people must remain vigilant. The public should check local weather forecasts, and the Environment Agency website for information on a regular basis as flooding can happen very quickly."
There were already three river flood warnings in place for the South West at lunchtime on Friday and 39 less serious flood alerts across England.
People are also being urged not to drive or walk through flood waters which can be dirty, dangerous and full of hidden debris.
