United Kingdom Under Water

Last week David Cameron spoke to the nation and declared this winter to be the wettest winter in 2 1/2 centuries -- since 1776 when England began keeping records about such things. Oxford has had it's share of flooding but we are not as bad off as many other parts of the country. The worst areas for flooding are along the Thames, between Oxford and London, and in the south and west along the coast. The Northwest has had hurricane strength wind storms. My sister who lives in southwest County Cork in Ireland has been without electricity and phone for the past week. The devastation has been so wide spread that she's been told it will take weeks before the lines are back up and working consistently. Everyday the news is filled with dramatic photos of extreme weather or devastating flooding in the U.K. Here are some of those photos from either the BBC News, the Dailymail, or the Guardian paper.

Isolated: An aerial view of Muchelney in Somerset, which has been cut off by the floods

People watch and take pictures of giant waves breaking on Porthcawl harbour, south Wales, where strong winds have stirred the sea creating huge tides. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA

Earlier in January, Abingdon Road in Oxford was closed for two weeks

The flooding has disrupted public transportation systems throughout the U.K. 

Swans take over a flooded road in Worcester o

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Flooding has closed some roads in parts of southern England.  This is in Crawley, East Sussex

Many farmers had already planted their fields, only to see the seeds and hard work get washed away

 A 4ft emergency barrier was all that stood between the people of Avon Crescent and the rising river in Bristol

BBC/Reuters: (NRW) warned of an "exceptional" wave swells in Aberstwyth, Wales

British army soldiers wade through flood waters as they work to protect homes from rising flood waters at Chertsey, England, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2014.

Trees in a park by the River Thames, in Datchet, England, submerged in water, Monday, Feb. 10, 2014. The River Thames has burst its banks after reaching its highest level in years, flooding riverside towns upstream of London

A wave thrashes the coast of Porthlevel, Cornwall

Train passing along the coast of Coatsalt, Scotland.  Many rail lines are underwater and train service has been suspended. 

All of these photos have been culled from news sites and none have been taken by me