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LONDON - Severe flood warnings were issued for several areas of Britain as rising water levels caused traffic chaos in the worst-affected parts.
In Silsden, West Yorkshire, about 100 workers had to be evacuated from a factory. Television pictures showed torrents of water rushing through the town, with an articulated lorry stranded precariously in the rising waters.
In Elland, near Huddersfield, 60 young children were moved to a fire station after the ground floor of their canalside nursery flooded.
The Environment Agency issued severe flood warnings for several parts of nearby Wakefield and Skipton as officials became worried about the rivers Colne, Calder and Aire breaking their banks.
In all, 15 severe flood warnings were in place around the country on top of 121 standard flood warnings, with the northeast the most severely affected.
Parts of western England were also issued with flood warnings, particularly around Gloucestershire, with some areas under water for the second time in six months.
Meanwhile in Australia, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has told of lingering anxiety in Charleville as floodwaters threaten a temporary levee protecting the western town.
The flood-swollen Warrego River was expected to peak at about 6m yesterday and the temporary levee, airlifted to Charleville at the weekend, has so far done its job in protecting the town.
Floodwaters were also expected to peak yesterday in Emerald at 15.5m. About 1000 residents have been evacuated in the past 24 hours.
One byproduct of the flood had been a plague of snakes heading for higher ground, she said.
"There's a massive snake situation happening up there and people standing on their verandas shooting snakes."
- Reuters, AAP
