DEVON County Council is urging people to continue to take extra care and not put themselves at risk as Storm Chandra approaches.

Extra staff will be on duty at the council’s Network Operations Control Centre and additional teams are on hand to respond to incidents on the highway, including tree surgeons.

The Met Office issued an Amber Weather Warning for rain for the southern half of Devon from 5pm this afternoon through to 9am tomorrow morning.

Around 20 to 50mm of rainfall is expected widely, with up to 80mm on high ground, particularly on Dartmoor.

A Yellow Weather Warning for wind in the north and west of the county has also been issued for tomorrow, from 5am to 4pm.

Wind gusts of 50 to 60mph are due, and potentially up to 70mph on exposed coasts.

Following the damage caused by Storm Ingrid over the weekend, recovery efforts are still ongoing in some parts of the county.

Councillor Dan Thomas, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, said: ‘There’s seemingly no let up from storms this winter.

‘Straight off the back of Storm Ingrid, the arrival of yet more rain and wind is the last thing anyone needs.

‘The continuing extreme weather is causing damage and disruption and there’s no doubt it’s impacting our road network.

‘Emergency services are also working hard during these weather events and, unfortunately, there have been issues with people ignoring road closures. Where a road is closed, it’s for safety reasons.

'We would urge everyone to please be cautious. Do not attempt to drive through floodwater or try to access closed roads, particularly in coastal areas. Not only could you be putting your own safety at risk, but you could also be putting others at risk.’

In the wake of Storm Ingrid, Devon County Council Leader Councillor Julian Brazil has called on the Government to provide the extra investment needed for infrastructure which will protect communities from flooding and storms.

Devon County Council is reminding people of the following advice.

Be alert to fallen trees and branches, particularly on minor roads where they may not have been reported;

Never drive through floodwater or swollen flowing water, you don’t know how deep it is. Find an alternative route;

Allow additional time for your journey. Reduce your speed and leave more space between you and the vehicle in front;

Drive with care and according to the conditions.