A devastated father in Devon, whose rented home was wrecked by waist-high floodwater from Storm Chandra, now faces the grim prospect of a second deluge as forecasters issue fresh warnings for torrential rain across the South West.
Family's Home Destroyed in Initial Deluge
Billy Vernon, 39, saw his four-bedroom property in the flood-hit town of Axminster, close to the River Axe, inundated on Tuesday. The self-employed builder lost all his furniture, treasured belongings, and family pets in the catastrophic flooding. His family has been desperately pumping water out of the house and attempting to salvage whatever items they can from the wreckage.
Scale of the Devastation Revealed
As the clean-up operation continues, the true extent of the damage has become painfully clear. Mr Vernon, who is currently sheltering upstairs with his two teenage sons, described the scene.
'All my furniture downstairs is destroyed,' he said. 'This includes two televisions, the table and chairs, all the conservatory furniture, and everything in my kids' playroom. The whole kitchen will have to be ripped out. My tools were inside and they are all ruined now. The entire house stinks.'
The emotional toll is particularly heavy. 'The hardest part for me is seeing my kids' Christmas presents destroyed,' Mr Vernon added. He also revealed that precious family photographs, including pictures of his recently deceased mother, have been damaged. Tragically, five chickens and four ducks were found dead in the garden following the initial flood.
Fresh Weather Warnings Spark Renewed Fear
Just as the family managed to remove most of the floodwater, the threat of further downpours has emerged. The Met Office has issued two new yellow weather warnings for heavy rain. The first is active from noon today until midnight, covering Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, and Wiltshire, with up to 25mm (1 inch) of rain forecast.
A second warning runs from 9am tomorrow until 6am on Saturday for Devon and Cornwall, predicting a further 30mm (1.2 inches) of rainfall accompanied by strong winds. Forecasters warn this new band of rain, moving northeast across the South West from this afternoon, will fall on already saturated ground, likely worsening existing flooding and causing travel delays.
'A Sleepless Night' Ahead
Facing this renewed threat, Mr Vernon's anxiety is palpable. 'It will be a sleepless night,' he admitted. 'I'm still trying to get on top of it - and I know that it could happen again in 24 hours. All we can do is put our flood barriers back in place and hope the water doesn't come over the back wall.'
The family's living conditions remain dire. They are confined to the upstairs of the property with only basic appliances, including a fridge donated by a charity. Outside, the aftermath is stark, with Mr Vernon noting his ladders were now 'floating in the river.'
Wider Impact Across the Region
The disruption caused by Storm Chandra and the impending rain is widespread. The Environment Agency currently has 76 flood warnings and 181 alerts in place for England. Significant travel disruption continues, with National Rail imposing a 'do not travel' warning for Great Western Railway services between Exeter, Okehampton, and Barnstaple in Devon until at least the end of Friday.
In Cornwall, the line between Liskeard and Looe remains closed due to track flooding, with no trains expected until next Monday. In Devon, a large sinkhole near the railway line between Dawlish and Teignmouth, caused by the recent storms, has closed the line for repairs.
Elsewhere, a caravan park at Iford Bridge Home Park near Christchurch in Dorset was evacuated after the River Stour burst its banks, with residents told to leave 'as quickly as possible' due to a severe flood warning indicating danger to life. A separate 19-hour yellow rain warning for Northern Ireland is also forecast to bring up to 60mm of rain and further flooding between midnight tonight and 6pm tomorrow.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Matthew Lehnert urged vigilance: 'This rain will fall onto already saturated ground, compounding the impacts of Storm Chandra. We're encouraging people to stay up to date with the latest forecast and follow any advice from the emergency services and local authorities.' For families like Billy Vernon's, that advice is a stark reminder of the precarious situation they now endure.
