17/02/2014 BBC London News

Good evening. The Environment Agency has tonight

downgraded its severe flood warnings along the River Thames meaning

people's lives there are no longer considered to be at risk. Water

levels are gradually falling but communities are still being warned

to be vigilant as the flooding is expected to remain for some time

yet. Here's Nick Beake. The danger may have subsided, but

the mission isn't over. The army were back here in a game checking on

residence and delivering yet more sandbags. The water is subsiding the

people need sandbags. It is bolstering defences they already

have in case defences rise again later in the week, which might

happen. This is a big pile of furniture, four armchairs and a

server. For this lady near Chertsey the damage is already done. She had

just spent her life savings refurbishing her house. What can you

do? This is what a trip back from the shops looked like, precious

cargo inches above the filthy water. The level has dropped, believe it or

not. This is how we found this road last Wednesday. The concern is the

water level seems to be rising. Today, five days on, the water level

has finally dropped, but people living here have got no idea when

all the rest of will drain away Some of the evacuees of the floods

have seen it all before. 87`year`old Douglas and his friend Edna have

been staying in a hotel for three weeks after being rescued from their

homes. I was devastated, I hate being away from home, I think you do

when you get older. We were sent here by the insurers, we ought to be

out tomorrow. It is make your mind up time where you are going to go.

Where do you go? I don't know, it would be no good going back to my

place because my neighbours say it is still a couple of foot deep. In

so many places the outlook is bleak but you can stumble across

heart`warming moments. 52 day, and she is stuck indoors. Down the road

we meant mark last week, a solitary figure who has refused to leave his

house. The water as receded but it has been a tough week. Had enough,

just been told by the army we are expecting more. It has dampened the

spirits. I want my family back, I missed them like mad. Troops on the

submerged streets of Surrey remains a bizarre picture, although things

have stabilised. It is hard to see when life will be back to normal.

Chertsey is one of the areas badly affected by the floods. Alice

Bhanhukravi is there for us tonight. Alice.

Floodwaters may have receded but it tells you about the level of water,

when there are these pipes, still going. They are bringing water out

of the town and putting it back into the Thames. It is actually a

footpath, but the Thames has broken its banks and those pipes are

getting rid of some of the water, but it feels like it will be a long

time before anybody sits on the bench. You can see the speed at

which the water is rushing through under this bridge. The waters may

have receded, but there is still a lot of it around.

There will be other challenges ahead when the water finally goes down.

One of the things that is most obvious, the extent of the damage

caused. A lot of people are beginning to go back to their

houses, those who had to leave, and they are realising the extent of the

damage, the high water mark coming up on their furniture. A lot of the

work ahead will be paperwork, filling in insurance forms and it

seems like a huge tax ahead. `` Tasker.

In other news, around 50 people had to be evacuated from a busy street

near King's Cross this morning, after flames burst through the

pavement. The fire broke out under a manhole cover on the Caledonian

Road. Marc Ashdown reports. A busy N. London St this morning,

the pavement is on fire. Without warning flames burst through,

luckily nobody was injured. I don't know how the flames started, but it

was quite shocking, it was half my height. Luckily nobody was standing

there on the wise there would have been serious injury. 50 people were

evacuated after flames were brought under control. It was caused by an

electrical fault under the pavement. These engineers have been here all

day trying to fix it but this is not the first time in London Street has

suddenly exploded. Pimlico Road in April last year, there has just been

an explosion. And another. The man next to it narrowly escaped serious

injury. There have been about 5 such explosions across the capital

over the past few years, caused by various faults beneath our feet The

power should be restored in Islington fairly soon, the flames

were not as serious as some incidents but it will fuel concerns

over another sudden, unexpected explosion.

That's it from me. Let me wish you a very goodnight and hand you over to

Wendy for the weather forecast. We have still got problems with the

flooding, waterlogged ground. The river levels will be sensitive to

further rain. It will be drier and calmer than last week. We have some

rain at the moment. For the most part it will be light, Apache, one

to bursts, and it will stay mild. We start with some cloud and drizzly

rain. A bit damp in the east. There is a chance of some brightness.

There will be one or two isolated showers. Here is your Outlook, drive

for the most part on Wednesday, it will turn

for the most part on Wednesday, it will turn more unsettled.

Whilst across the whole of the country the general weather pattern

shows no signs of completely settling down there is some good

news. There will be some drier spells over the next couple of days,

the wind is not as strong and it will be relatively mild. Cloud

tonight, the exception is the Northern Isles. The risk of a touch

of Frost. A weakening front sitting through Scotland. Some heavier

showers for Northern Ireland and the south-west. A misty and murky night.

There will be some hill fog