UK BRACES FOR MORE STORMS AND FLOODS

London, 18 Rabi’ul Awwal 1437/29 December 2015 (MINA) –  More storms are predicted to hit parts of the U.K. Tuesday evening as the country braces itself for more flooding.

Authorities have issued nine severe flood warnings, meaning there is a risk to life, mostly around the town of York in northern England, Anadolu Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporing.

The state-run meteorological office said Storm Frank would sweep into the country Tuesday night, bringing gales and heavy rain to central and southern Scotland.

Cumbria, an English county near the Scottish border that has seen severe flooding several times in December, was also expected to be affected.

U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron visited York Monday to meet flood victims and emergency workers. Soldiers have been deployed by the government to help with the response, which has seen thousands of people evacuated from their homes.

Cameron also announced a major review of the government’s strategy for preventing floods.

“We need to sit down and look at what we are planning to build, what we are planning to spend and see if more can be done,” he said.

“You don’t just protect people, of course, through the flood defenses, although they are important, and of course while some flood defenses haven’t worked this time, many flood defenses have worked and protected thousands of homes,” he added.

As a massive clean-up effort gets underway, insurers estimate homes and businesses in the area will make claims totaling £1.5 billion ($2.23 billion). (T/P010/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)