Britain was braced for further flooding on Sunday as forecasters suggested this June would be one of the wettest in the last 100 years.
More rain fell overnight across most of the country, adding to the deluges which have swamped northern counties and Scotland and forced families to flee their homes.
Further showers and possible thunderstorms are expected to hit many areas, with the heaviest downpours in Scotland and northern and eastern England.
While these areas are no longer at risk of significant floods, the wet weather is likely to increase the burden on towns and villages as they attempt to clear up after a month's rain fell in 24 hours.
The South West is likely to see the worst of Sunday's weather, with the area said to be at low risk of flooding caused by heavy rain overnight.
The Environment Agency has issued 23 flood warnings and 65 alerts - of which 20 are in the South West - and the Met Office has issued a "yellow" severe weather warning for the region.
An agency spokesman said: "There is a low risk of some localised flooding on Sunday across parts of south-west England due to heavy rain, so we urge people to remain vigilant. Further showers are expected across northern England, however further significant flooding is not expected here."
The warnings came after many rivers reached record levels on Saturday night, including the River Calder at Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.
The River Yarrow burst its banks in Croston, Lancashire, flooding around 70 homes which had to be evacuated.
Clean-up operations continued today in the worst-hit areas, where water levels reached waist-height.
Cumbria, which bore the brunt of the downpours earlier this weekend, saw another 15-25mm of rain fall last night which is expect to somewhat hamper the efforts to mop up.
Matt Dobson, senior forecaster at MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "This rain isn't going to help the situation and there could well be more flash-flooding later in the week, though it doesn't look as bad as it has been."
He added: "This is one of the wettest Junes since 2007 which was exceptional. It could be one of the wettest Junes of the last 100 years."
But he offered a glimmer of hope to revellers at the Isle of Wight Festival who can expect a largely dry day.
"It will be a case of sunshine and showers across the country," he added. "There's a chance of thunderstorms anywhere from eastern Scotland, across north-east England and down the coast through East Anglia. Further west and south, quite a lot of England and Wales will have some sunshine this afternoon, and isolated showers. In London there will be one or two showers around but by the afternoon it is an improving picture and the sun will come out a little bit more often."
An improvement in conditions will come as a welcome relief to many.
In the past few days, firefighters were forced to rescue people from cars trapped by flash flooding in the Yorkshire Dales; an 80-year-old pensioner was hospitalised with serious injuries following a collision in heavy rain in the Scottish Borders; people were rescued by boat from their flooded homes in Wigan; roads were closed because of a high risk of a landslip in Argyll and Bute; and widespread travel chaos saw rail services cancelled.
In the northern counties and Scotland, some 11,000 homes and businesses were protected by flood defences.
Meanwhile, a concert scheduled for last night by singer and Torchwood actor John Barrowman at the new Tower Festival Headland venue in Blackpool was cancelled on health and safety grounds.
However, music fans flocking to Radio 1's Hackney Weekend, where chart star Rihanna is headlining this evening, were told they could expect some sunny spells.
In 2007, Britain was hit by its worst floods in modern times, with June that year recording a record level of rainfall.
According to the Met Office, more than 15cm of rain hit much of the country with more than 25mm falling locally - in some places, this was more than four times average levels. The floods of that year cost the UK £3.2 billion.
SEE ALSO