Devon has been badly hit by some of the worst weather the country has seen in over 20 years – and more rain is on the way.
Several severe flood warnings had been in place in the county, though they have now ceased, whilst the search for a Devon teenager continues.
Sea fronts, such as Exmouth and Lyme Regis, were given severe weather warnings due to their “low-lying and exposed communities”, according to the Exeter Express and Echo. Copious tidal barriers have been broken by the high tides, some of which have measured up to nine metres high, thus flooding low lying communities.
In Exeter the severe weather temporarily closed the train line to Exmouth due to extreme flooding on the rail tracks. The heavy rain has been accompanied by both hail thunder storms, which have affected signal communicators and has interrupted traffic.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Office have been making the public aware of the dangers, advising drivers to not travel through floodwater and to stay safe. Crashes have occurred on the M5, some taking place within minutes of each other during especially bad weather, although no one has been seriously injured.
This weather has created severe threats to life, with the increasingly bad weather posing safety concerns for South West residents. Two people have reported to have died because of the weather and 18 year old Harry Martin, from Devon, has been missing since Thursday – the search for him continues.
Another Atlantic storm swept into Devon at the weekend, prompting the Met Office to issue a new set of severe weather warnings. It has been predicted that high rain fall and heavy winds will continue to affect the county, with the north being a particular target, over the next 24 hours. This storm will also bring continued high tides which are expected to continue to break over flood barriers in the south-west of the country.
Some forecasters are predicting that flooding will continue for the next few weeks, with coastal areas still at a continued risk.
See our gallery of pictures below, image credits: Niklas Rahmel.
Bea Wood, News Team
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