27/06/2007

Flood toll reaches four dead

Four people are known to have died and thousands of people have spent the night in emergency accommodation following the deluge that caused heavy flooding in parts of England.

The body of a man was found in his car in Worcestershire. According to reports, he had telephoned his wife to say that his car had been overwhelmed by floodwaters in Pershore on Tuesday afternoon.

Hundreds of people are unable to return to their homes in four villages in South Yorkshire due to a damaged dam. The wall holding back the 35-acre Ulley Reservoir near Rotherham was damaged by the torrent and experts have warned that there is a "significant risk" that the weakened wall could give way.

In Sheffield hundreds were evacuated to emergency shelters due to severe flooding in the area and RAF rescue helicopters were brought in to help rescue some of those stranded.

A clean-up operation is now underway, although many roads remain closed and parts of the city are still cut off.

Three people have been killed in the South Yorkshire area because of the flooding.

Ryan Joe Parry, 14, was swept to his death in the swollen River Sheaf in Sheffield as he returned home from school.

A 68-year-old man was also swept away after leaving his car in the Wicker area of Sheffield.

Mike Barnett, 28, died after becoming trapped in a drain in the Hessle area of Hull.

The Environment Agency still have 18 severe flood warnings in place and 97 flood warnings.

Although rain is expected it is not forecast to be as heavy as in previous days.

(SP/JM)

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