Sandbags handed out to protect against flash floods

UK: Residents in flood risk areas have been offered free sandbags to help protect their properties from rising water levels despite much of the country being declared in drought.

Motorists across swaths of Britain were also warned of travel chaos and were urged to drive carefully as heavy rain threatens road networks.

The Environment Agency warned householders in many areas that their homes were at risk from flooding due to the recent heavy rain. Officials offered them free sandbags to build barriers around their properties, advised them to move their possessions away from the ground floor and offered them temporary flood barriers.