Major Incident Declared in Somerset as Storm Chandra Causes Widespread Flooding
A major incident has been formally declared in Somerset following the devastating impact of Storm Chandra, which has battered the county with torrential rain and led to significant flooding. The severe weather event has resulted in approximately 50 properties being inundated across several communities, prompting an urgent response from local authorities and emergency services.
Extensive Flooding and High-Risk Areas
Somerset Council confirmed there had been extensive flooding overnight, with the risk of further inundation on the Somerset Levels and Moors remaining critically high as rainwater continues to move through the drainage systems. Council leader Bill Revans emphasised the gravity of the situation, stating that the declaration of a major incident ensures a coordinated and robust response to the ongoing crisis.
Revans explained, "Storm Chandra delivered more than 50mm of rain to parts of Somerset overnight, compounding already saturated ground conditions. This has led to widespread disruption, and our primary concern is for the many communities affected. Our teams have been working tirelessly through the night, and we urge residents to avoid travel where possible and never attempt to drive through floodwater."
Nationwide Flood Warnings and Disruption
The impact of Storm Chandra has extended far beyond Somerset, with hundreds of flood warnings and alerts issued across the United Kingdom. As of Tuesday evening, the Environment Agency had issued:
- 95 flood warnings for expected flooding across England
- 257 flood alerts for possible flooding in England
- Three flood warnings and 17 flood alerts in Wales
- Eight flood warnings and eight flood alerts in Scotland
In Devon and Somerset, firefighters conducted 25 vehicle rescues from floodwaters on Tuesday morning, fortunately without any reported casualties. The Axminster Fire Station shared images on social media showing multiple vehicles stranded in deep water, highlighting the dangerous conditions.
Transport Chaos and School Closures
The storm has caused substantial transport disruption across southern and western England. Multiple roads have been closed, including a significant section of the A30 in Devon between junctions near Ottery St Mary and Exeter Airport. The educational sector has also been severely affected, with 47 schools closed in Devon and more than 300 shut across Northern Ireland due to flooding and hazardous conditions.
Air travel has been significantly disrupted, with domestic flights cancelled on routes serving major airports including Birmingham, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heathrow, Leeds Bradford, London City, Manchester, and Southampton.
Ongoing Weather Threats and Further Warnings
The Met Office has issued additional weather warnings as the situation continues to evolve. A yellow weather warning for ice covers much of England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and southern and central Scotland for Wednesday morning. Furthermore, a yellow rain warning has been issued for South West England on Thursday, with forecasters warning that additional precipitation could exacerbate existing flooding and cause further transport disruption.
Storm Chandra represents the latest named storm from the western Europe storm naming group, a collaborative initiative between the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The emergency services across affected regions continue to work around the clock, preparing for potential deterioration in conditions as the weather system moves across the country.
