Flood crisis grows as rivers riseThe flooding crisis in central and western England continues with thousands of homes losing water and electricity supplies.
Up to 350,000 people in Gloucestershire will be left without water within the next 15 hours, as the River Severn and the Thames threaten to overflow.
People were being urged not to panic buy and to do all they could to conserve water.
No electricityPeter Bungard from Gloucestershire County Council told BBC Five Live bottled water was being provided and a number of water bowsers being deployed to the area, he said.
Elsewhere in Gloucestershire, 15,000 homes were left without power after a major electricity substation was turned off because of the rising water.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he would set up a review of the crisis.
Mr Brown flew by helicopter over Gloucestershire, the worst-affected county, before heading to the police headquarters where the emergency response is being co-ordinated.
He said the government would set up a review focusing on drainage and how Britain could protect itself against further flooding.
Extra funding would also be given to local authorities to help pay for essential emergency work in the aftermath of the crisis, he said.
The Environment Agency said water levels on the River Severn and Thames could reach a "critical" level in some areas.
Severe flood warnings are in place for the Midlands, Oxfordshire and Bedfordshire.
A spokesman for the agency said the River Severn and the Thames would continue to swell until Tuesday and that levels on both rivers could increase beyond those of 60 years ago.
In March 1947, millions of pounds of damage was caused in the south of England, the Midlands, East Anglia and North Yorkshire when many of the country's rivers burst their banks.
Other main developments include:
* Environment Agency chief executive Baroness Young told the BBC that about £1bn a year was needed to improve flood defences.
* Environment Secretary Hilary Benn defended the government's flood response, saying there are lessons to be learned but denying flood defences had not been maintained properly.
* Meanwhile, the Association of British Insurers has said the total bill for the June and July floods could reach £2bn.
* Sir John Harman, the chairman of the Environment Agency, warned summer floods could become more frequent in the future.
* The RAF said it is carrying out its biggest ever peacetime operation, with six Sea King helicopters rescuing up to 120 people.
Severn Trent Water said 150,000 homes in Gloucestershire were without water after a treatment works was flooded.But it warned all residents in Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury - an estimated 350,000 people - they would lose their supply within the next 15 hours.
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