Commuters face morning travel chaos after weekend of 106mph winds and heavy rain leaves 2,000 homes without power and causes ship to sink
COMMUTERS are bracing themselves for further chaos on Britain's roads next week as Storm Angus continue's to batter Britain.
Forecasters warned half a months worth of rain could fall in just a few hours with warnings of rain issued across half the UK.
Yellow weather warnings have been issued across Wales and the South East with an amber warning issued in Devon.
The storm battered the country over the weekend wreaking havoc on the seas and on the land.
A cargo ship was evacuated after smashing into a 'barge full of rocks' three miles south west of Samphire Hoe near Dover.
Around 23 crew members are believed to be on board the 200-metre vessel - eleven of whom have reportedly been air-lifted to safety.
Coastguard boats and helicopters are attending the scene which has been declared a major incident.
The Hong Kong registered boat named Saga Sky is taking on water after losing engine and steering power - however it is reportedly not expected to sink.
The vessel was travelling past Folkestone and Dover when the crash happened.
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It is unclear if weather conditions played a part in the incident although the region has been battered by Storm Angus which has produced 106mph winds overnight and this morning.
Ferry services have also been suspended.
A UK coastguard spokeswoman said: "Deal and Dover Coastguard Rescue Teams have been put on standby to help receive crew members rescued from the vessel."
Duty commander Steve Carson added that the storm conditions have made the rescue operation difficult.
He said: "The weather conditions this morning are particularly challenging and we have declared this a major incident.
"We are now planning to evacuate the crew from the cargo vessel and our HM Coastguard helicopters from Lydd and Lee-on-Solent are on the scene."
Brits in many parts of the country have woken up to floodwater and damaged buildings this morning as Storm Angus took hold last night.
Winds of 97mph were reported by BBC Weather off the south coast this morning with one family in Folkestone, Kent, saying it sounded like “we [were] next to a [Boeing] 747 jet on take off”.
They added: “Whole house is shaking and windows flexing … Crazy here.”
Next door in Brighton, East Sussex, a video emerged showing strong winds wrecking scaffolding that collapsed onto an empty parked car.
The family also tweeted a view of the choppy seas outside their front door and claimed waves five metres tall were breaking on the beach.
A severe flood alert – a warning of immediate danger to life – was put out in Devon before the River Mole burst its banks.
Police had to evacuate a chalet park as fast flowing water rose to around 4ft in South Molton.
Residents were allowed to return to their homes just over an hour after the emergency measure was taken as the rain had stopped and floodwater reduced.
Almost 2,000 properties in the south-west of England, most of them in Devon, are without electricity say Western Power Distribution.
Southern England has been hit particularly hard by this season’s first named storm with reports of damaged walls, broken trees and floodwater.
This morning the storm system is unleashing rainwater in the Midlands, East Anglia and Wales as it moves further north.
The highest recorded rainfall so far is in Exeter where 53mm fell but that could rise with 21 flood warnings and 30 flood alerts issued across southwestern England.
The High Street in Swanage, Dorset, was closed after sea water flooded the road and the sea wall was damaged with bricks splattered across the sea front.
A huge cargo ship has also been taking on water in the English channel after hitting a barge filled with rocks.
There are estimated to be 20-30 crew members on board with five having been rescued so far.
There could have been a potentially fatal accident in Guernsey, Channel Islands, when a tree fell in strong winds and smashed through a bench.
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