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Fire and rescue workers from across England and Wales are descending on the flood-ravaged south of the country in what amounts to the largest deployment of fire brigade assets since the Second World War.
Nearly three-quarters of the 49 fire brigades across England and Wales' are participating in the fight against flooding, sending staff and equipment to Somerset, Thames Valley and Cornwall.
The assets involve more than 200 staff, over 100 fire engines, around 25 high-volume water pumps and dozens of boats, which are pumping water, evacuating residents and managing sandbag stations alongside around 1,000 staff from local brigades.
“Assets are coming from all over the country. From Durham, West Yorkshire, Liverpool, Mersey, Cumbria, Lincolnshire - all over. And they are geared up to stay overnight,” said Des Prichard, chief fire officer for East Sussex.
“The Royal Berkshire has 11 fire service brigades helping, including Cheshire, Derbyshire, Merseyside, Wiltshire, West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire,” Mr Prichard added.
The job of the Fire and Rescue service could become even more difficult tomorrow with the Met Office forecasting between 30 and 40mm of rain in just six hours this morning in West Dorset, South Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.
In pictures: Flooding in SomersetShow all 45 1 /45In pictures: Flooding in Somerset In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Muchelney Flood water surrounds Horsey Farm close to the village of Muchelney on the Somerset Levels near Langport in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Muchelney Flood water surrounds the village of Muchelney on the Somerset Levels near Langport in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Bridgwater Flood water continues to cover farmland on the Somerset Levels near Bridgwater in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Langport Two men use a boat on a flooded road on the Somerset Levels near Langport in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Langport A car is left parked on a flooded road on the Somerset Levels near Langport in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Moorland An emergency flood pump ejects water into the River Parrett near the village of Moorland
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Burrowbridge A general view of floodwater on the Somerset Levels is pictured from Burrowbridge in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Burrowbridge Burrowbridge Village Hall is surrounded by water during continued flooding at Burrowbridge in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Bridgwater Network Rail of the flooded rail line at Bridgwater, Somerset after the River Perrett flooded on the Somerset Levels
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Nigel Farage wades in water as he visits a flooded property at Burrowbridge on the Somerset Levels near Bridgwater
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Moorland A general view of an owners home that has been affected by flooding in Moorland
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Burrowbridge Flood waters engulf a house with a wall of sandbags around it in Burrowbridge
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Burrowbridge Devon and Somerset Fire and rescue service evacuate two women and two cats in baskets through flood waters in Burrowbridge
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset A car sits in flood water on a flooded property at Burrowbridge on the Somerset Levels near Bridgwater
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Moorland A graveyard is seen underwater in the village of Moorland
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Moorland A graveyard is seen underwater in the village of Moorland
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset A car drives through flood water on the Somerset Levels near Langport in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Flood water collects in an allotment site near Langport in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Flooded fields surround the River Tone that has burst its banks viewed from Windmill Hill, in Stoke-St-Gregory near Langport in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Trees are reflected in flood waters on the Somerset Levels near Langport in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Farmer Roger Forgan uses a boat to cross farm land in front of his flooded farm which has been cut off by flood waters at Muchelney near Langport in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset A man walks beside the River Tone seen from Windmill Hill, Somerset, as flooding persists on the levels
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Flooded fields around the River Tone seen from Windmill Hill, Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset An electricity survey helicopter flies over flooded farmland surrounding Burrowbridge in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Flooded farmland surrounding Burrowbridge in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Flood water is pumped into the River Parrott by the Environment Agency in Moorland in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset A flood sign is seen in flood waters surrounding farm buildings in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Debris washed up by flood water is seen at James Winslade's farm in Moorland in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Flood water surrounds a house in the village of Thorney in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Farmer James Winslade stands in front of bales of animal feed as he surveys some of his 790 acres of flooded land at his farm in Moorland in Somerset, England
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset A car is seen submerged on the side of a flooded road leading into the cut-off village of Muchelney in Somerset. A local council declared a major incident on the flood-hit Somerset Levels where some villages like Muchelney have been cut off for weeks by flooding that has submerged roads and thousands of acres of farmland in the area of southwestern England
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset A policeman on a boat looks at a car submerged on the side of a flooded road leading into the cut-off village of Muchelney in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset The village of Muchelney is seen beyond flood water in Somerset
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Residents disembark a boat after being transported from the cut-off village of Muchelney in Somerset on 27 January. A new plan to deal with a flood-hit area of south-west England will be drawn up within six weeks, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson announced as he was confronted by angry residents
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset A general view take from Burrow Bridge Mump shows flood fields in Somerset on 27 January
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Pipes pump flood water into a river in Burrow Bridge, flood-hit Somerset on 27 January. A local council last week declared a major incident on the flooded Somerset Levels where some villages have been cut off for weeks by water that has submerged roads and thousands of acres of farmland
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Flood water surrounds houses in the village of Thorney in Somerset on 26 January
Getty Images
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset A car is seen submerged on the side of a flooded road leading into the cut-off village of Muchelney in Somerset on 26 January
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Cattle feed in a barn in front of a flooded farm yard in the village of Thorney along the road to Muchelney on 24 January
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Muchelney resident Nick Studley delivers groceries to a neighbour in the village on 24 January
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Workers from Pontoonworks build a pontoon along the road leading to the village of Muchelney to help villagers board a boat which has been used for transport along flooded roads on 24 January
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset Flooded fields can be seen near the village of Burrowbridge
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset The sun rises on 21 January over water that has flooded the main road leading to village of Muchelney
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset A car drives through flood water on the A361, which has been closed to traffic due to flooding, at Burrowbridge
In pictures: Flooding in Somerset Floods in Somerset People stop to look at a flooded road leading to village of Muchelney that has been cut off by flood water in Somerset
Matt Cardy/Getty Images
“If we can just get through the next 24 to 48 hours, we should return to more normal winter weather next week,” said Sarah Davies, of the Met Office.
However, Tony Willison, programme director at the Environment Agency, warned the floods were likely to persist for some time to come, with “hundreds of properties still likely to flood”.
Meanwhile, parts of Northern England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland face the prospect of up to 10cms of snow tonight as the weather cools.
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