Homes in England Evacuated as Rivers Reach Record Levels After Month of Rain - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Police in England have ordered residents to evacuate their homes in the counties of Worcestershire and Shropshire on Wednesday, as floodwaters are expected to rise to record levels during the course of the day after weeks of heavy rainfall, the UK’s ITV broadcaster reported.

Residents in the towns of Bewdley and Ironbridge, located on the banks of the River Severn, have been requested by police to leave their homes. In a video posted on Twitter, West Mercia Police Chief Superintendent Tom Harding said that floodwater was starting to breach defences constructed in Ironbridge, forcing the evacuation.

On Tuesday, the UK Environment Agency warned of further devastating floods, with water levels on the River Severn expected to reach record levels. England has received twice its annual February rainfall this year, and some areas experienced a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours.

During Prime Minister’s Questions in the parliament on Wednesday, Boris Johnson announced that his government would provide an additional 2.6 billion pounds ($3.37 billion) to fund flood defences, adding that 200,000 homes have been protected by already-constructed government defences.

However, opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn accused Johnson of being a "part-time" prime minister for his unwillingness to visit flood-affected communities and call a meeting of the COBRA emergency committee. Corbyn noted that Johnson was keen to visit members of the public affected by flooding in the county of Yorkshire in December, just before the general election.

There are currently two "danger to life" flood warnings active in England — in Ironbridge and the town of Shrewsbury. In 97 locations, residents have been warned to take immediate action against flooding, while a further 135 flood alerts are active in England.