LOC19:59
16:59 GMT
LONDON, July 23 (KUNA) -- An independent person is to head the flood review
announced this morning by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, MPs were told
Monday.
Britains Environment Secretary Hilary Benn told the House of Commons the
review would look at the trail of devastation across the country caused by
flooding over the last three days.
Benn also warned that the emergency was "far from over and further flooding
is very likely".
The Environment Secretary said many local roads were closed and the public
was advised not to travel in the worst hit areas.
Further flooding was likely as the major rivers the Thames and Severn
filled with floodwaters from within their catchments.
There were currently eight severe flood warnings in place and 50 other
flood warnings across England and Wales.
He urged the public to listen to flood warnings, respond to evacuation
advice and help neighbours and the vulnerable.
"People should not go into the floodwater and children should not play in
it. Even six inches of fast moving water can knock people off their feet and
the water will often be polluted".
As waters receded the clear-up would begin.
The British Government has already pledged to raise spending on flood
defences to 800 million pounds by 2010-11.
For his part, the main opposition Conservative environment spokesman Peter
Ainsworth joined Benn in paying tribute to the emergency services and local
communities for their response to the flooding.
"We aren't interested in playing a blame game. The extreme weather events
which led to the current floods, as well as those in the north of England last
month, are not the Government's fault", he told MPs.
"They are a humbling reminder of the awesome power of nature".
"What matters is to be quite certain that everything feasible that could be
done to respond both to the threat of flooding and to the flooding events
themselves was done, is being done and will continue to be done", Ainsworth
added. (pickup previous)
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