Britain relieved as deluge fails to swell floods crisis

LONDON (AFP) - Residents in flood-hit areas of Britain breathed a sigh of relief Sunday after overnight downpours failed to raise water levels and hamper the clear-up.

Meteorologists had warned that heavy rainfall in the already saturated south and west of England could trigger flash floods and worsen the crisis which has left three people dead, 300,000 residents without drinkable tap water and swamped up to 15,000 homes.

But the overnight rain was not as bad as had been feared, meaning that affected communities now have a run of mostly dry days ahead to continue clearing up after the July 20 floods.

Britain's two longest rivers, the Severn and the Thames, burst their banks, leaving at least 130,000 homes without tap water after a treatment plant flooded.

Thousands of houses will get running water restored within a day, but health officials warned residents the water would not be drinkable and should only be used for washing and flushing the toilet.