British police say they found the body of an elderly woman in a flooded home, as hundreds of Britons struggle to contain damage done by the recent wet weather.
North Wales Police said emergency rescue workers discovered the body Tuesday in the Welsh city of St Asaph, where the swollen river Elwy has surged through flood defences. The death is being treated as unexplained.
At least 500 homes in St Asaph had to be evacuated in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
As residents and business owners took stock of the damage, emergency workers and volunteers helped to fill sandbags.
The torrential downpours spread overnight from southwest England to North Wales and northern England.
The Environment Agency issued more than 200 flood warnings and almost 300 flood alerts across the country, British broadcaster Sky News reported.
Lifeboat crews and boats helped to ferry St Asaph families and business owners to safety. Among them was hotel owner Charlie Ryan.
"Everything's floating. There's glasses floating, fishes floating. Everything's floating. All the shelving's come away, it's all floating, furniture. It's quite derelict," Ryan said after making his way to dry land.
The Environment Agency says flood defences in St Asaph were designed to cope with up to four metres of water, Sky reported.
Flood levels are continuing to rise in the worst hit areas across the UK despite the forecast of drier spells.
There is also still concern over flooding as heavy rain in northern England and Wales moves southwards.
Britons will now also have to brace for forecast freezing temperatures.
AP / 3 News
source: newshub archive
