Storm Chandra: severe flood warning in Devon as more rain and wind hits UK | UK weather
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.
A yellow rain warning has been issued for parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset on Tuesday morning. 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.
