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Heavy showers have continued overnight, bringing fear of continued flooding problems for parts of the UK.

The Environment Agency (EA) has eight flood warnings in place this morning, its second highest alert, which means flooding is expected. Eighty-nine areas across England and Wales were on flood alert, the EA's lowest warning.

Despite a drop in the intensity of the downpours and strong winds overnight, the risk remains following days of heavy rain which yesterday brought flash floods to coastal towns in England and Scotland. The heavy rain is expected to briefly subside on Monday, before returning on Wednesday, experts said.

Chris Burton, a meteorologist for MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "Heavy rain still continues in the west of England, as well as the south coast, but it is not as persistent as the last few days, although it may still cause localised flooding.

"In Scotland the strong tides and high winds which caused the flooding in coastal towns have died down. Later today there will be sunshine and showers along with bursts of heavy rain. The next few days will also see similar sunshine and showers and slightly above averages temperatures, of about 10 degrees in England and seven in Scotland, until Wednesday, when the heavy rain is likely to return."

In Scotland the severe weather on Saturday is thought to have led to the death of a crewman after stormy seas overcame a vessel in the North Sea. Eleven people had to be rescued when Vos Sailor, an emergency response and rescue vessel, suffered damage and started taking on water 120 miles off Aberdeen on Scotland's north-east coast.

The coastguard launched a rescue mission after a mayday call at 4.30am but police said one man was fatally injured. His body has not yet been recovered.

 

Three flood warnings are in place this morning in Somerset - for Salt Moor and North Moor, the A361 between East Lyng and Burrowbridge, and Curry Moor and Hay Moor. Three warnings are in place in the Anglia region, one at Cogenhoe Mill Caravan Site in Northampton, and two close to Whittlesey, Peterborough.

A warning was also issued in the Midlands for the River Leam at Eathorpe, Huningham and Offchurch, Warwickshire. In Wales, Dale Tidal along the south-west coast was also subject to a warning.

The extreme weather prompted a meeting of the Scottish Government Resilience Room in Edinburgh. Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse, who chaired the meeting, thanked the emergency services for their efforts and urged members of the public to stay away from the worst affected areas.

The Press Association, photo by Duckwailk