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| Woman killed by tree in Exeter during floods | Woman killed by tree in Exeter during floods |
| (4 months later) | |
| 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. | 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 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. | The woman was trapped under the tree and taken to hospital where she later died, Devon and Cornwall Police said. |
| Inspector Andrea Webber of Devon and Cornwall Police said the woman who died was 21 and had been living in a small tent sheltered against the wall at the roadside when the tree fell on it. She died almost immediately. | Inspector Andrea Webber of Devon and Cornwall Police said the woman who died was 21 and had been living in a small tent sheltered against the wall at the roadside when the tree fell on it. She died almost immediately. |
| "It was a very large oak tree that had been there for very many years," she told Sky News. | "It was a very large oak tree that had been there for very many years," she told Sky News. |
| "Obviously we've had lots of heavy weather, it's been raining an awful lot, and the tree for whatever reason came down. | "Obviously we've had lots of heavy weather, it's been raining an awful lot, and the tree for whatever reason came down. |
| "It's taken a wall with it when it came down and then on top of that the tent was underneath and the tree has fallen on to the tent. | "It's taken a wall with it when it came down and then on top of that the tent was underneath and the tree has fallen on to the tent. |
| "There are two males involved with minor injuries and obviously a poor lady of 21 who received fatal injuries at the time." | "There are two males involved with minor injuries and obviously a poor lady of 21 who received fatal injuries at the time." |
| She said officers were on the scene almost immediately, but there was very little that could be done for the woman and that her injuries were fatal "almost instantaneously". | She said officers were on the scene almost immediately, but there was very little that could be done for the woman and that her injuries were fatal "almost instantaneously". |
| Webber said that while towns and villages across the region had been cut off, most of the flood water was receding. She warned people to take extreme care because of standing water on roads and low-lying flood waters. | Webber said that while towns and villages across the region had been cut off, most of the flood water was receding. She warned people to take extreme care because of standing water on roads and low-lying flood waters. |
| She said that the heavy weather had now cleared Devon and Cornwall, and that emergency services didn't expect any further serious weather for the next 12 hours. | She said that the heavy weather had now cleared Devon and Cornwall, and that emergency services didn't expect any further serious weather for the next 12 hours. |
| People were forced to flee their homes on Saturday night as flood water and torrential rain caused "serious threats to life" in villages in Cornwall. | People were forced to flee their homes on Saturday 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
| She said told the BBC that torrents of muddy water had been cascading down the road all yesterday afternoon, into the village and people's homes. | She said told the BBC that torrents of muddy water had been cascading down the road all yesterday afternoon, into the village and people's homes. |
| Johns said the village's sluice gates had been opened and water was transferred into a gulley, allowing water levels to subside. | Johns said the village's sluice gates had been opened and water was transferred into a gulley, allowing water levels to subside. |
| 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. | 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. | She said Devon was being buffeted by winds of up to 60mph and between 40mm and 60mm of rain. |
| "Cornwall was hit in several places and we did have to have some partial evacuation and move people to recovery centres, but fortunately we have been able to move them all back, with the exception of a couple of elderly and vulnerable people who are being looked after overnight." | "Cornwall was hit in several places and we did have to have some partial evacuation and move people to recovery centres, but fortunately we have been able to move them all back, with the exception of a couple of elderly and vulnerable people who are being looked after overnight." |
| She warned people not to travel unless absolutely necessary, saying: "We have particularly found that people are still trying to get home and make their way to their properties, but of course some of this water is now contaminated with sewage, and of course that could cause people health problems if they continue to ignore the advice." | She warned people not to travel unless absolutely necessary, saying: "We have particularly found that people are still trying to get home and make their way to their properties, but of course some of this water is now contaminated with sewage, and of course that could cause people health problems if they continue to ignore the advice." |
| Taylor said the M5 was closed southbound between junctions 25 and 26, and that there are major problems due to flooding on the A38. | Taylor said the M5 was closed southbound between junctions 25 and 26, and that there are major problems due to flooding on the A38. |
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