Storm chandra batters uk with month’s worth of rain in 24 hours, triggering life-threatening floods in devon

Storm Chandra has unleashed devastating rainfall across southwestern England, with some areas receiving nearly an entire month’s worth of precipitation in just 24 hours. The extreme weather event has prompted authorities to issue severe weather warnings across much of the UK, including “danger to life” flood alerts for Devon, while police urge residents to avoid all non-essential travel in the hardest-hit regions.

The most dramatic rainfall totals have been recorded across Devon and Cornwall, where the deluge has overwhelmed local drainage systems and waterways. White Barrow on South Dartmoor bore the brunt of the storm, recording 100mm (3.9 inches) of rain, while nearby Marden Down measured 75mm (3 inches). Other severely impacted areas include Ottery St Mary’s with 73mm, Ashcombe in Teignbridge with 60mm, and Wendron in southwest Cornwall with 51mm of rainfall.

This extraordinary precipitation represents a stark example of the increasingly intense weather patterns affecting the UK. When nearly a month’s worth of rain falls in a single day, it overwhelms natural and human-made drainage systems, leading to flash flooding that poses serious risks to communities and wildlife habitats alike. The concentrated nature of such extreme weather events also increases soil erosion, agricultural damage, and urban runoff pollution.

Transportation networks across the region face major disruptions as flooded roads become impassable and rail services experience significant delays. The combination of saturated ground conditions and continued rainfall heightens the risk of further flooding, particularly in low-lying areas and regions with poor drainage infrastructure.