While flood waters are receding in some parts of Britain, in other areas they are still rising and the bad news is that more heavy rain is predicted. The River Thames has burst its banks and residents in the town of Oxford have had to watch the water creeping ever nearer to their homes. “It’s still rising,” said one homeowner. “It’s actually come over the pavement in the last hour, so we think it’s getting higher. It’s very worrying now.”

Families are being evacuated to the local football stadium. Food shortages are being reported as deliveries are blocked by submerged roads. Major towns further along the River Thames towards London, like Henley and Windsor, have been warned to prepare for inundations too.

Russia is also trying to deal with a major flooding problem. Heavy rain prompted a reservoir to overflow, submerging nearby towns. Hundreds of people were evacuated from the towns of Ovsyanka and Zeya in the far-eastern Amur region. A state of emergency has been declared there.

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