Parts of Great Britain and Ireland, already reeling from their worst flooding in decades, braced for more storms on Monday, as some residents were allowed back home to assess the damage of torrents that inundated streets, knocked out bridges and displaced hundreds of people.

With weather forecasts predicting another week of rain for northern England’s sodden Lake District, Hilary Benn, the environmental secretary, warned that residents had probably not seen an end to the relentless rains.

“Cleaning up the mess has now started,” Benn said in a speech to Parliament. “However, I must advise the House that further heavy rain is forecast overnight, and there may be some further flooding.”

Police in Wales continued to search for a woman who disappeared on Saturday evening near a swollen river. Three other people were reported to have been killed in the floods - an environmental contractor, a canoeist and a police constable.