With 173 flood warnings and 184 flood alerts still in place across Britain, the Environment Agency warns of more flooding and disruption in the next 48 hours, as Britain witnessed another day of devastation as overflowing rivers caused severe flooding in Wales, resulting in the evacuation of hundreds of homes.

The Environment Agency has said that there is risk of flooding in Gloucester, Salisbury, Oxford, Sunbury, Abingdon and York. Mobile flood defences have been erected in Shrewsbury and Bewdley in Worcestershire. The Environment Agency also warned that slow-responding rivers such as Thames, Trent and Severn are at particularly high risk of flooding.

An elderly woman drowned in her home in the devastated city of St Asaph, North Wales where two severe flood warnings are still in place. 500 properties have been evacuated from St Asaph which saw the worst of the UK floods 2012 as River Elwy rose to 4.3m (14ft), which was more than double its usual level. A pregnant woman and a 92-year-old man were among those who were rescued from the devastation.

Denbighshire and around Rhuddlan, in north Wales are also under flood threat. West Country became yet another worst-hit area with the disruption of train services. Buses replaced train services on some routes in the north-east. After one week of severe flooding in Devon, South West Trains confirmed that parts of Devon have been reconnected to the main rain lines.

John Curtin, head of incident management at the Environment Agency, said, “Further flooding is expected in the next few days and communities across the country, particularly in north-east England, north Wales, Northamptonshire, are urged to remain especially vigilant.”

Weather forecasters have predicted that rain is likely to ease off this week until next Monday when it is likely to return, but risk of flooding will remain.

Related:
300 flood warnings issued across Britain as gales expected to head north
Flood and gales to cause havoc across England, Wales and southern Scotland