The flooded Whitchurch Lane in Bristol, pictured, was hit with more heavy rain during the course of the day
The Met Office issued an amber warning - the second highest severe weather alert - for Devon and parts of Somerset, predicting that up to 30mm of rain could fall within an hour. It also released a yellow "be aware" warning for areas of northern England.
By early afternoon on Monday, there were 15 flood warnings - meaning flooding is expected and immediate action is required - in Devon, Somerset and Dorset. In addition, there were 89 flood alerts (flooding is possible, be prepared) across England and Wales.
Impacts were likely to include flooding of properties and parts of communities, the Met Office said, and significant disruption to travel, with a number of roads and rail services likely to be affected.
The Environment Agency said: "Across England and Wales localised impacts from river or surface water flooding are possible. Gales and large waves will affect the east Channel coast for a time overnight, giving the potential for soma localised spray and wave overtopping here."
Among the structures damaged over the weekend was the ancient clapper bridge Tarr Steps on Exmoor in Somerset. The middle of the bridge, made up of stones weighing up to two tonnes, were washed away.
The warnings came as the government was accused of failing to deliver on promises to fund "natural" flood management schemes, such as planting trees.
A freedom of information request by Friends of the Earth to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs revealed there was no funding earmarked for natural flood management, despite ministers saying they would fund such measures.
Natural flood management schemes aim to slow the movement of water downstream to prevent flooding. This can involve creating water storage such as ponds, planting trees along water courses and restoring rivers to their original meandering path.
As the south-west mopped up and braced itself for further disruption, the Environment Agency said it was preparing to erect temporary defences where necessary and said rivers had been cleared to ensure water could flow freely.
Motorists were warned not to drive through flood water and residents in at-risk areas have been advised to contact their local councils for sandbags to protect their homes.
A biker ventures through deep flood water on Station Road, Broadclyst, Devon, where rivers have burst their banks and closed the main roads south of the village
Dozens of roads in Devon were impassable due to flood water. The A399 at Brayford was closed for a while after power cables were brought down.
A spokesman for Network Rail said the line between Bristol Parkway and Swindon had been closed due to heavy flooding. Trains between Cardiff and London Paddington were cancelled and diversions in place on other routes, he said.
Residents in Bristol were shocked as flood water trapped cars in Whitchurch Lane. Office supply manager Lee Gitsham, 43, set off for work at 8am, only to be confronted by water so deep that several cars were partly submerged.
He said: "I had to go through an alternative route because the bottom of the road was flooded. Parked cars were submerged in water. There were two drivers who tried to get through but got stuck. It was at wing mirror level so it must have been about 2ft-3ft of water.
"I have lived in that area for nearly 10 years. I have never seen it as bad as that. We have had a bit of flooding where the water has covered the pavement but never where it covered car bonnets."
A house is surrounded by flood waters at Croscombe in Somerset following torrential rain in the south west of England
Owner Mike Vowles said he had been to meetings where officials had discussed ways of trying to do work further upstream to try to stop the River Mole flooding.
"We last flooded in 2012. There was lot of talk about what to do but I think it was mostly just talk rather than action," said Vowles. "But the Environment Agency does have a problem. These seem to be very localised events. It's us today but it could be somewhere else next week and they haven't got money to sort out every river, every stream in the country. I understand that."
Issuing its amber warning for Devon and Somerset, the Met Office said: "A further broad area of heavy, persistent rain will move northwards across south-west England. Although the more persistent rain should clear from Devon by early afternoon, heavy and possibly thundery showers are likely to follow.
"Please be prepared for disruption to transport due to localised flooding, whilst flooding of homes and businesses is also possible.
"Some 20-30mm of rain is expected fall in a three-to-six-hour period in places, and a low risk of this falling in one-to-two hours. There could be as much as 40-60mm possible locally through the whole of Monday. The ground has been left very wet from Saturday night's rain and this increases the risk of further flooding."
The Environment Agency said the flooding risk could continue into Tuesday but by Wednesday drier weather was expected.
Reader Comments
to our Newsletter