Heavy rain to hit Devon

Forecasters are warning that further heavy rain is due to hit Devon at 9pm tonight (Monday 27 January) and remain until late on Tuesday (28 January).

The Met Office warns that frequent showers, some heavy, will bring a further 10-15 mm of rainwater into the region with the risk of up to 40 mm of rain on some areas of high ground.

The rain brings the risk of even further flooding and travel disruption especially in areas where the ground is already saturated.

The Met Office’s chief forecaster said: “A very unsettled start to this week is expected as an area of low pressure moves slowly southwards across Britain to most likely be centred over the Irish Sea by the end of Tuesday.

“Bands of heavy showers forming on the southern flank of this area of low pressure will stream across much of southern England.”

The warning is issued as Environment Secretary Owen Paterson has been confronted by angry residents in the Somerset levels who have been badly affected by the floods.

Farmers and MPs in the area have accused the government and the Environment Agency of failing to take action by dredging the rivers.

However the agency has said increased dredging would not have prevented recent flooding.

The agency currently has 10 flood warnings and 25 flood alerts in the southwest.

While the majority of warnings and alerts are in the somerset area warnings for the Middle Exe area including Tiverton and Exbridge were only lifted yesterday evening.