Flood warnings as more storms forecast for New Year's Day
Clean-up operations are sill under way after torrential rain and flooding in Scotland. Flood warnings have been issued across England and Wales as forecasters predict more heavy rain and strong winds for the first day of 2014.
The Environment Agency said communities in Cumbria and parts of southern England were particularly at risk.
Hundreds of households are still recovering from storms that caused floods and power cuts over Christmas.
Local authorities have been preparing emergency accommodation and residents are urged to check council websites.
'Heightened risk'The Environment Agency has seven flood warnings in place in England and Wales, meaning flooding is expected and immediate action is required.
Counties at increased risk of flooding are Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Berkshire, Sussex, Surrey, Kent and Cumbria.
A spokeswoman said: "On New Year's Day, heavy rain is expected which could cause flooding to communities in the south-east and south-west of England.
"There is a heightened flood risk for parts of south-east, southern and south-west England and Cumbria."
The Met Office has issued yellow warnings - meaning "be aware" - for rain for areas across the UK.
Helicopter rescueBBC Weather's Matt Taylor said that although north-eastern areas would start dry, gale force winds and heavy rain would sweep in from the south-west and Wales.
"Most areas will experience a spell of several hours of rain tomorrow. The heaviest will be in the south and west," he said.
The Local Government Association urged people to look on council websites in England and Wales for details of emergency accommodation in case rising waters force them from their homes.
The latest warnings came as a clean-up operation was underway in south and west Scotland following widespread flooding.
Seven people were airlifted by a Royal Navy helicopter from a farmhouse near Closeburn in Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway on Monday after torrential rains caused extensive disruption.
And three people were rescued by firefighters at Whitesands in Dumfries after they were cut off by the deep floodwater and rising river.
During the storms over Christmas, more than 150,000 properties across the UK were left without power, many for several days.
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said some power companies had "let their customers down badly" by failing to implement contingency plans.
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