Region on red alert as heavy rain continues to batter Cornwall

Heavy rain and high winds continue to batter Cornwall today following a stormy night which saw flash flooding across the region.

The Met Office had initially issued an amber weather warning for the county before upgrading its severity in South East Cornwall to red status.

However, at lunchtime today the Exeter-based forecasters announced the weather warning had been downgraded again.

A spokesperson said: “The red warning that was in force for parts of Devon and Cornwall has now been removed as the worst of the rain here has eased, although impacts of rain that has fallen continue to be significant locally.”

“The amber warning area has now been restricted to parts of Devon, Dorset and Somerset.”

Only North Cornwall remains affected by a weather warning now, with a yellow-graded warning - the lowest kind issued by the Met Office - in place.

It is expected to remain in force until 11.59pm tonight.

Traffic has been disrupted across the county, with surface water flooding affecting roads across the region.

All emergency services across the region have been on high alert throughout the day, with resources on standby ready to dispatch where necessary.

Devon and Cornwall Police activated their Gold Control Centre and continue to deal with weather-related incidents across the two counties.

They issued a statement earlier today which read: “Due to the large amounts of rain overnight and the severe weather warning issued by the Met Office, Devon and Cornwall Police are currently dealing with several incidents of flooding across the force area.

“At this time we have the appropriate resources in place to deal with all incidents and are working in partnership with our colleagues from the Environment Agency and the Met Office to identify the areas most at risk.

“If you have vulnerable neighbours and can safely check on their welfare please do.”

“We are also appealing to drivers to avoid driving through flood water which could cause your vehicle to become trapped in flood water.”

FLOODING INCIDENTS:

Firefighters have already attended a number of properties in the county to deal with reports of flooding.

Crews from Redruth and Camborne pumped water out of a number of properties in the Wheal Rose area of Redruth during the night.

Crews also attended a number of houses in Bugle and a property in Roscroggan to extract flood water.

FLOOD WARNINGS:

There are currently no flood warnings in place for Cornwall, although a number of flood alerts have been issued.

An Environment Agency flood alert warns that flooding is possible and the public should be prepared.

The Cornish rivers currently on alert are; the Upper River Tamar, St Austell and Par rivers and various West Cornwall rivers affecting areas in Lands End, Helston, Crowlas, St Ives, Hayle, Camborne and Perranporth.

Craig Woolhouse, Head of flood incident management at the Environment Agency, said: “We would urge people to remain on alert for flooding, especially in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.”

“We would also ask people to remember to stay away from flood water, and do not walk or drive through it, as it is often fast-moving and can contain sewage and other debris.”

FORECAST:

A spokesperson for the Met Office said: “Further heavy showers or longer periods of rain are expected during Saturday.

“Although not all places will see the heaviest of the rain, where it does fall it is likely to lead to surface water flooding and some disruption to travel.

“There remains some uncertainty in the location of the heaviest rainfall, but at this time the southwest of England looks the most likely area to be affected.”

“The public should be prepared for the likelihood of surface water flooding and some disruption to travel and outdoor activities.”

The RSPCA has urged farmers to move livestock from low-lying fields and ensure animals have access to food and shelter where possible.

Pet owners are also been reminded to keep their animals safe at all times.

Have you witnessed any flooding in Cornwall? Have you been affected by the heavy rain? Let us know and send your pictures to emma.glanfield@northcliffedigital.co.uk.

You can also upload your weather photos and pictures of flooding to www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/pictures.

Click here for today's forecast in Cornwall, as well as the forecast for the next four days.