Rivers burst banks across country as snow melts

By CLAIRE GARDNER
Published on 28/01/2013 01:01

Heavy rain and melting snow has brought floods to Britain with hundreds of weather warnings issued across the country.

Whitesands at Dumfries was under water for the third time this winter as the River Nith burst its banks after torrential rain and melting snow.

In England, a canoeist died after being pulled from the swollen River Arkle in the Yorkshire Dales yesterday afternoon.

The Environment Agency has about 80 flood warnings and more than 320 flood alerts in places, with river levels expected to swell further as bands of rain sweep the country.

Weather experts said communities in Wales, central and south-west England, and Cumbria had seen most of the rain, after 30mm (1.18in) fell in places.

Temperatures of up to 12C sparked a rapid thaw of snow and ice that built up in the recent cold snap.

Scotland has four flood warnings in place.