Flood risk remains as heavy showers continue across UK

Heavy showers have continued overnight, bringing fear of continued flooding problems for parts of the UK.

The Environment Agency (EA) has eight flood warnings in place this morning, its second highest alert, which means flooding is expected.

Eighty-nine areas across England and Wales were on flood alert, the EA's lowest warning.

Despite a drop in the intensity of the downpours and strong winds overnight, the risk remains following days of heavy rain which yesterday brought flash floods to coastal towns in England and Scotland.

The heavy rain is expected to briefly subside tomorrow, before returning on Wednesday, experts said.

Chris Burton, a meteorologist for MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "Heavy rain still continues in the west of England, as well as the south coast, but it is not as persistent as the last few days, although it may still cause localised flooding.

"In Scotland the strong tides and high winds which caused the flooding in coastal towns have died down.

"Later today there will be sunshine and showers along with bursts of heavy rain.

"The next few days will also see similar sunshine and showers and slightly above averages temperatures, of about 10 degrees in England and seven in Scotland, until Wednesday, when the heavy rain is likely to return."

In Scotland the severe weather yesterday is thought to have led to the death of a crewman after stormy seas overcame a vessel in the North Sea.

Eleven people had to be rescued when Vos Sailor, an emergency response and rescue vessel, suffered damage and started taking on water 120 miles off Aberdeen on Scotland's north-east coast.

The coastguard launched a rescue mission after a mayday call at 4.30am but police said one man was fatally injured. His body has not yet been recovered.

In Sunderland a rescue operation involving a coastguard rescue team and an RAF helicopter was launched yesterday afternoon after 15 anglers were knocked over by a freak wave on Roker Pier.

One of the anglers was airlifted to hospital with a suspected broken leg.

In a separate incident two anglers were caught up in a fast-flowing stream at Becketts Bank, between Peterlee and Hartlepool, and one was swept out towards the sea. The angler was found after a search and airlifted to hospital.

The coastguard urged anglers not to take risks and ensure they check the weather and tidal conditions before setting out.

Three flood warnings are in place this morning in Somerset - for Salt Moor and North Moor, the A361 between East Lyng and Burrowbridge, and Curry Moor and Hay Moor.

Three warnings are in place in the Anglia region, one at Cogenhoe Mill Caravan Site in Northampton, and two close to Whittlesey, Peterborough.

A warning was also issued in the Midlands for the River Leam at Eathorpe, Huningham and Offchurch, Warwickshire.

In Wales, Dale Tidal along the south-west coast was also subject to a warning.

Firefighters in Devon yesterday praised the speedy actions of three hunters who found a man desperately clinging to a tree following a flash flood.

More than 12 firefighters helped rescue the man near the River Exe yesterday. He was taken to hospital with hypothermia.

Land's End Airport in Cornwall was also reportedly forced to close due to a waterlogged runway.

Skybus, which provides flights from the airport to the Isles of Scilly as well as scenic flights, said it closed following torrential rain, according to the BBC.

Around 30 commercial properties were flooded on Friday in the coastal town of Looe, south Cornwall, as a band of heavy rain swept in from the Atlantic.

More than 60 people had to be evacuated from their homes in Aberdeenshire and Moray, Scotland, yesterday after sea water flooded properties.

A section of harbour wall in Lossiemouth collapsed, while a shipping container broke loose and caused damage at North Berwick in East Lothian.

The extreme weather prompted a meeting of the Scottish Government Resilience Room in Edinburgh.

Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse, who chaired the meeting, thanked the emergency services for their efforts and urged members of the public to stay away from the worst affected areas.

In Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, 25 sheltered housing residents were removed from their home and taken to a rest centre in the town's St Bridget's Hall.

Further north at Peterhead, about 30 people were evacuated from properties in the Roanheads area.

On Friday night, an RNLI lifeboat crew went out in what were described as "horrendous" conditions to rescue three people marooned on the east side of Peterhead harbour.

In Lossiemouth , Moray, seven people were evacuated from their homes in Clifton Road after a large section of the harbour wall collapsed.

In Wick, on the far north coast, roads were closed and fishing boats were damaged in high winds.

PA