LONDON, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Victims of the wettest January on record across England, Scotland and Wales face a "living nightmare," a senior official with the Church of England said Monday.
The Rev. Andrew Piggott, archdeacon of Bath, said the livelihoods of business people and farmers were threatened by flooding caused by unprecedented rainfall, the Daily Telegraph reported.
"The normal daily routines, things we all take for granted, such as going to school, the doctor or local shop have become a living nightmare," he said.
Piggott charged rat infestations had increased 25 percent and local residents were being forced to defecate into buckets and plastic bags because the flooding had knocked out sanitary sewer systems.
Related
He called for the Church of England to pray for the victims.
The Environment Ministry said Monday southern England had suffered the wettest January on record, following the wettest December in 50 years. The ministry warned 800 to 900 properties near the Thames River could be flooded in the next three days as forecasts called for more rain and strong winds.
Fourteen severe flood warnings, indicating "danger to life," have been issued for the counties of Berkshire and Surrey in southeastern England, the BBC reported. Two were already in place for Somerset County in the southwestern part of the country.
Homes in the village of Datchet in Berkshire county are underwater and Thames Valley Police have declared the eastern part of the county to be in a "major incident.'
The Thames is expected to rise 3 or 4 inches more in the next 24 hours, said Howard Davidson of the Environment Agency.
National Rail said flooding had caused delays on several train lines.
"This isn't now just flooding, this is groundwater," said Robin Gisby, the rail system's managing director. "The land is so saturated we have got water rising up, just as much as flowing on to it. So it is difficult."
