Update; Flood Panic

Hundreds of thousands of flood victims were struggling to survive under siege conditions last night. Parts of the country were paralysed by what the Environment Agency called the worst floods in modern history. Stricken communities were left without homes or power, and long queues built up for handouts of fresh drinking water. Some may have to wait up to two weeks for mains supplies to be reconnected after a treatment centre failed and 350,000 homes were left without running water. Even as river levels across the Midlands and the South continued to rise, forcing mass evacuations, supermarkets were running out of staple foods. Emergency supplies were shipped into the worst-affected areas and people were being put up for the night in makeshift shelters. Food parcels, water, toiletries and bedding were being delivered to the sites. (Daily Express)