Prince Charles visits UK flood victims

LONDON (AP) — Prince Charles has visited flood-hit areas of southwest England, riding by boat and tractor to survey the damage and showing support for the locals.

The royal pledged a 50,000-pound ($81,000) donation to help flood victims in the Somerset Levels area, where thousands of acres dotted with farmland and villages have been under water for a month.

Charles braved rain and flooded roads to meet locals at a reception, telling those attending Tuesday: "The tragedy is that nothing happened for so long."

Many residents have expressed anger at the way the government coped with the disaster, saying its response is too slow.

The royal rode on a boat to visit a village cut off by flood waters, and later climbed aboard a tractor-towed trailer to visit a farm.