SINCE it was built in 1982, the Thames Barrier has been raised 150 times in order to prevent flooding in central London. This year's wet winter has required it to be closed 28 times since December 6, accounting for 18.7 per cent of the total closures in its 32-year history.
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The best tabloid stories of 2025In the Spotlight From a child named after the devil to a pothole-based theme park, some strange stories hit the headlines this year
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7 bars with comforting cocktails and great hospitalitythe week recommends Winter is a fine time for going out and drinking up
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Death toll from Southeast Asia storms tops 1,000speed read Catastrophic floods and landslides have struck Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia
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Cloudbursts: what are the 'rain bombs' hitting India and Pakistan?The Explainer The sudden and intense weather event is almost impossible to forecast and often leads to deadly flash-flooding and landslides
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FEMA Urban Search and Rescue chief resignsSpeed Read Ken Pagurek has left the organization, citing 'chaos'
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Why are flash floods in Texas so deadly?Today's Big Question Over 100 people, including 27 girls at a summer camp, died in recent flooding
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Search for survivors continues after Texas floodsSpeed Read A total of 82 people are confirmed dead, including 28 children
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Parts of California are sinking and affecting sea levelUnder the radar Climate change is bringing the land to the sea
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At least 95 dead in Spain flash floodsSpeed Read Torrential rainfall caused the country's worst flooding since 1996
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Colombo's wetlands: how the 'lungs' of Sri Lanka's capital are being restoredUnder the radar The revival of the ecosystems could prove a 'valuable lesson' for the world
