LONDON Thousands of Britons have been forced to leave their homes by the country's worst floods in 50 years, and the Defense Ministry on Wednesday offered 3,000 military homes as temporary refuges for flood victims.
The environment agency said it had issued more than 40 severe flood warnings on 26 rivers throughout the country, including a stretch near London on the River Thames.
Historic Hampton Court Palace, a major tourist attraction on the southwest outskirts of the British capital, is on the edge of the raging waters of the Thames but is not in immediate danger.
"At present the palace isn't at particular risk, but the river level hasn't stabilized yet," an agency spokeswoman said. "We still have a severe flood warning which means there is imminent danger to life and property," she said.
Huge areas of countryside have been flooded, overflowing rivers have cut roads and railways, and forecasters said more rain would fall in the north and east on Wednesday. "There is little capacity in rivers. They can't take any more rain," a national forecaster said.
The BBC reported that weather-related incidents over the last 10 days had killed 12 people.
(Reuter)