Storm Chandra live: danger to life warning as severe flooding expected in south-west England | UK news
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Strong winds and heavy rains hit much of the UK, while Storm Chandra caused travel disruption and flooding.
The M48 Severn Bridge was closed on Tuesday morning, with the Humber Bridge closed to high-sided vehicles due to wind.
Snow is also expected in parts of the country as a number of weather warnings come into force, PA reports.
National Rail has warned that “bad weather conditions may affect South Western Rail services until the end of the day”, with traffic between England and Wales being diverted via the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge.
Gwent Police said the A40 between Abergavenny and Raglan was flooded, while parts of many roads in Dorset, Somerset and east Devon were closed due to flooding.
National Highways said the A66 between the A67 near Bowes in County Durham and the A685 near Brough in Cumbria was closed due to snow.
Motorists traveling in the Pennines are advised to “plan ahead and consider alternative routes”.
Police warn against travel in Exeter, East and Mid Devon
Devon and Cornwall Police said there were “significant amounts of surface water and areas of flooding across parts of the force” due to Storm Chandra.
There was widespread road disruption this morning, particularly in Exeter and East and Mid Devon, with many roads becoming impassable.
Please do not travel to areas such as Exeter, East and Mid Devon at this time unless urgently needed.
We are experiencing an increase in reports of people facing floodwaters.
Please do not try to go over it. The weather is improving, but rivers are still responding to previous heavy rainfall.
Steven Morris
A yellow rain warning has been issued for parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset. The Met Office said 30-50mm of rainfall was likely in these areas, with 60-80mm likely in some higher elevations, particularly south Dartmoor.
A second amber warning for wind was in force for parts of Northern Ireland, where the Met Office said severe storms were likely that could topple trees and cause dangerous coastal conditions. Winds were expected to reach 75 mph.
The Met Office said winds generally come from a more unusual south-easterly or easterly direction, so generally sheltered locations will bear the load. The forecaster predicted snow could fall on higher ground in parts of the north of England, causing blizzard-like conditions in some places.
Parts of south-west England are still coping with the effects of Storms Goretti and Ingrid earlier this month. Winds of 160 km per hour (99 mph) hit the Isles of Scilly, leaving thousands of people in Cornwall without power, water and internet. The storm also caused thousands of trees to fall.
Life-threatening warning as Storm Chandra hits UK
Steven Morris
A life-threatening red flood warning has been issued for a river in south-west England as Storm Chandra brought heavy rain and strong winds to many parts of the UK.
The Environment Agency (EA) said: Severe flooding was expected in Ottery St Mary on Tuesday morningFlood water on the Otter River is expected to flow deep and fast.
Emergency services and local authorities were working with the EA, which advised people in threatened areas of the city to move their families, pets and cars and turn off gas, electricity and water if it was safe to do so.
As daylight broke on Tuesday, almost 100 flood warnings (meaning flooding was expected) and nearly 200 warnings (meaning flooding was possible) were in place across England, with heavy rain falling on already saturated ground. there was 17 flood warnings in Wales.
The storm caused trouble for the passengers. The M48 Severn Crossing between England and Wales was closed due to strong winds, while high-sided vehicles were banned from entering the Humber Bridge in north-east England.
Parts of roads in Dorset, Somerset and east Devon have been closed due to flooding. Gwent police said the A40 was flooded between Abergavenny and Raglan in south-east Wales.
Rail operators have advised people to check their planned routes before setting off. National Rail said bad weather conditions could affect services in south-west England until the end of the day.
