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Flood-hit community in mourning, says local vicar

A vicar who has been offering support to people forced from their homes by the flooding in Somerset has compared their situation to a bereavement.  Revd Jane Haslam of St Peter and St John Church in Moorland, has been touring the stricken community offering flood victims prayer and comfort.  Water levels in the area continue to rise, with more rain and gale force winds expected to affect southern England tonight, leaving many areas prone to further flooding.

The government's now pledged a total of £130 million pounds for repairs caused by the recent bad weather, but only £30 million pounds of the emergency aid will be spent this year on the damage. As rain falls again on already saturated villages on the Somerset Levels pumps are trying to take the water away from homes at risk.

Some villagers in Fordgate in the county were forced from their homes in the early hours of Thursday.  An emotional Revd Haslam, who has been helping people evacuate, told Premier's Marcus Jones on the News Hour that the situation's been devastating for many locals:

In Devon, engineers estimate it'll take at least six weeks to mend the train track that's been left hanging in mid air after the sea swept away the ground beneath it.

Local MP Anne Marie Morris said it's vital the route through Dawlish is repaired:

"This is the key artery to the south west and for this community, which is very dependent upon tourism, without this particular artery where it is, that will be severely impacted."

Meanwhile, David Cameron, who's in Birmingham today, will chair a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee later. The Prime Minister has said his under pressure Environment Secretary Owen Paterson was "absolutely on top" of the issue and has been "very proactive."

But he's having an emergency eye operation today, leaving communities secretary Eric Pickles to announce the £130 million pounds for emergency repairs. Speaking to Premier's Marcus Jones on the News Hour, Andy Lester from Christian conservation charity Arocha UK says the problems being made worse because homes are being built in wrong places:

The government will spend £130m in emergency funding to repair flood defences wrecked by recent storms, an increase on the £100m promised by the Prime Minister yesterday. But only £30m of the money, for repairs and maintenance, will be available this year, with the rest in the following year. No extra money for building new flood defences in future has been announced.

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