Woman killed by tree during floods

Nov 25 2012

A woman has died and two others were seriously injured after a tree fell on them as floods and high winds battered the South West.

The three were injured when a large spruce collapsed in Western Way in Exeter at 11.50pm.

The woman was trapped under the tree and taken to hospital where she later died, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

People were forced to flee their homes last night as flood water and torrential rain caused "serious threats to life" in villages in Cornwall. Special rest centres were set up in the worst-hit villages, though Cornwall Council said these were all later stood down as people returned home or went elsewhere as flood threats stabilised.

Severe flood warnings - the highest alert possible - have been issued by the Environment Agency (EA) for Lostwithiel, Helston, Polperro and Perranporth in Cornwall, where rivers threatening to burst their banks. More than 150 flood warnings were also in place across the country, and 222 flood alerts, the majority in the South West.

Roads have also been closed across the region as highways became impassable because of rain and debris. The M5 was shut between junction 25 and 26, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

Emergency services, rescue crews and EA bosses worked throughout the night to help stricken communities and spread messages of safety to people following four days of uninterrupted rainfall.

More than 230 staff from Cornwall Council were out working across the county to help those hit by severe weather and flooding, and Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service had taken more than 350 calls since yesterday morning, the council said.

Fire and rescue pumps were sent to Perranporth to help prevent further flooding after the river broke its banks. It was reported that people were left stranded in their homes in Newlyn in Cornwall, while roads in Bovey Tracey in Devon were turned into rivers as water poured down. The village of Millbrook was reportedly under 5ft of water and BBC reporter Alison Johns, who lives in the village, said 40 houses were evacuated on Saturday night.

Assistant Chief Constable Sharon Taylor of Devon and Cornwall Police, who is co-ordinating the emergency responses throughout the night, told the BBC the situation was beginning to stabilise in Plymouth and Cornwall. She said Devon was being buffeted by winds of up to 60mph and between 40mm and 60mm of rain.