River Thames breaches banks near London

England's River Thames has breached its banks for the first time in years, flooding riverside towns near London.

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Members of the Royal Berkshire Fire Service rescue residents whose houses have been flooded in Staines-upon-Thames. (AAP)

The River Thames has burst its banks after reaching its highest level in years, flooding riverside towns upstream of London.

Residents and British troops had piled up sandbags in a bid to protect properties from the latest bout of flooding to hit Britain.

But the floods overwhelmed their defences on Monday, leaving areas including the centre of the village of Datchet underwater.

The Environment Agency has issued 14 severe flood warnings - meaning there's a danger to life - along the Thames east of Windsor, about 32 kilometres from London.

England has had its wettest January since 1766. Its southwest coast has been battered repeatedly by storms and a large area of the low-lying Somerset Levels in the southwest has been under water for more than a month.


1 min read

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Updated

Source: AAP



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