The Environment Agency in the South West is asking people in Devon, Cornwall, and West Somerset to remain vigilant and prepared for flooding, after the Met Office issued a weather warning for heavy rain for later today.
The Met Office forecast that a band of rain will cross Cornwall, Devon and Somerset during the afternoon and into this evening with the possibility of heavy localised downpours following behind, particularly affecting higher ground.
There is a possibility therefore of localised surface water flooding affecting vulnerable locations and the high winds could potentially cause big waves on the coast.
The Environment Agency urged operators of caravan and camping sites across the region to be ready to take action should flooding occur.
The Environment Agency in the South West currently has currently no flood alerts or warnings in place, but are continuing to monitor rainfall and river levels across the Region.
Further unsettled weather is predicted for, Friday and into Saturday morning, with the risk of further isolated thundery showers. The Agency is keeping a close watch on river levels, after heavy rain has left many areas more vulnerable to flooding. Environment Agency teams have been working to clear any blockages and checking all our defences in the region and monitoring river levels.
‘There were some heavy showers in Cornwall last night but they moved through relatively quickly and there have been no reports of any significant problems. It will again be showery later today and on Friday but the strong winds will be helpful, as it will push the storm through more quickly. We still need people to be vigilant about the weather and the possible risk of surface water flooding on the roads,’ said David Bunt for the Environment Agency.
Yesterday, the Agency contacted more than 80 caravan parks and campsites to warn them of the heavy rain and possible risk of flooding.
The Environment Agency urged the public to remain vigilant and check its website and Twitter feed for the latest situation. It also advised the public to stay away from swollen rivers and not to drive through floodwater.
Flood warnings can be found at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/31618.aspx, and you can follow the Environment Agency on Twitter at @EnvAgencySW. People can sign-up to receive flood warnings by contacting Floodline on 0845 9881188.
