High-capacity water pumps from the Netherlands have started to remove millions of tonnes of water from the flooded Somerset Levels.
Thirteen Dutch pumps were brought in by the Environment Agency and are being used to divert water to try and cut levels.
The agency says the scheme will reduce the flood risk in villages such as Northmoor and Saltmoor.
The first pumps currently operating are located at Dunball, pictured here, while others are being installed at Beer Wall.
When they all are up and running they will move 7.3 million tonnes of water each day from the Somerset Levels.
The pumps will be used to send water down the River Sowey and the King’s Sedgemoor Drain to the River Parrett at Dunball, the Environment Agency says.
Spokesman Melvin Wood added: “On the River Tone catchment we will see the levels dropping hopefully within days, but it is dependent on whether further water comes down the river from further rainfall we might receive.”
“Within days we should see levels dropping within the Parrett.”
Mr Wood said it “may take weeks” for the water levels on the flooded moors to clear. “But we’re talking about getting the levels down so that we can start our major pumping operation on Currymoor and the moors upstream of Langport within several weeks.”
