The clean-up operation continues in Boscastle

Safety officers accompanied a small group of shopkeepers from the Cornish village who went to assess the damage suffered by their premises.

Meanwhile, emergency services continue work to restore power and water supplies to the Cornish village.

Nobody is thought to have died but the cost of the damage is expected to reach into millions of pounds.

Meanwhile, a disaster fund has been set up to help the community which has lost several buildings and dozens of cars.

Deluge

A total of 75mm - the August average rainfall - fell in two hours on Monday.

The sudden deluge caused two nearby rivers to burst their banks and a torrent of water to sweep through the village's main street.

Aerial photograph: See the part of Boscastle hit by the flood. Enlarge Image

"We watched the cars come down like a duck race, bobbing along," said Mary Sharp, 70, who lives near the harbour.

"The roar and the smell was horrible."

Early estimates of the damage were that three homes and shops were destroyed, eight remained in a "very dangerous state" and 50 vehicles had been written off.

North Cornwall Council has now taken over the clear-up operation from police.

Vice-chairman Graham Facks-Martin said that, while more than half of villagers had not been forced out of their homes by the floods, a "substantial minority" had been kept away from theirs ever since.

He told BBC News 24: "Within a week the district council, in conjunction with its partners, will have completed a clean-up here.

"Everybody who will have been able to go back to their homes, whose homes are safe, will be back in them."

There was a massive, great oven [over there]. Where that's gone, God only knows Nev Chamberlain 'I've lost business and home'

The donation is coming from a Duchy of Cornwall fund.

It was still unclear how many homes were unsafe, he said.

"In some cases, foundations have been affected by the rush of the water. The properties have got to be inspected by experts to assess whether it's safe for people to go back."

Charles 'horrified'

Prince Charles, who is also Duke of Cornwall, visited the area on Wednesday and said he would make a "substantial donation" to help Boscastle residents.

He said in a statement: "I was absolutely horrified to see the extent of the devastation caused by the floods.

"My thoughts and sympathies are with the people of Boscastle and those who happened to be visiting this lovely part of the world and who have all come through what was clearly a terrifying experience."

Prince Charles was the second high-profile figure to visit, following Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's visit on Tuesday.

'Miracle'

Police said it was a "miracle" that no-one appeared to have lost their life.

In pictures: Flooding aftermath Amateur footage

"Fortunately, we haven't found anyone dead or injured but we haven't recovered all of the cars yet, so we can't be 100% sure," said a spokeswoman for Cornwall County Fire Brigade.

More than 150 people were airlifted to safety - some from stranded cars, from roofs, and from trees where they had clambered to safety.

A 16-month-old baby had been put in a rucksack before being airlifted out of the area.

Have you been affected by the floods?