Met Office issues amber thunderstorm warning as half a month’s rain falls in 1 hour & triggers flash flooding in Devon

TORRENTIAL downpours caused floods as a month’s rain fell in 24 hours yesterday.

An amber “danger to life” warning was issued as thunderstorms struck following the heatwave.

The Met Office said Devon and Somerset saw more than 4in (100mm) of rain in 24 hours, above the September average of 3.4in (87mm).

Flooding saw the closure of Exeter Airport and Paignton Zoo, both in Devon.

Trains were cancelled and roads turned into rivers and a cop warned of “small lakes forming” on parts of the M5.

Hundreds of households lost their power supply and a lightning strike brought down a bedroom ceiling when it hit a home in ­Totnes, Devon.

The resident suffered minor injuries.

Householders used sandbags as water rose. One said: “The rain has been biblical. It came on so fast.”

Yellow thunderstorm alerts were in place last night for the South West, London, the South East and East Anglia.

Met Office expert Jonathan Vautrey said: “Some quite potent thunderstorms are developing.

“They will bring torrential downpours with hail and lightning possible.”

The unsettled conditions are expected to continue throughout the week as the tail end of Hurricane Lee sweeps in from the Atlantic.

Mr Vautrey added: “It could be quite an unsettled, autumnal week to come.”