One Dead as Storms, Floods Batter England

Rainstorms and floods have hit southern England, killing one person and injuring two. The three casualties occurred when a large spruce tree collapsed in Exeter, near the southwestern coast, last night. A 21-year-old woman who was in a small tent when the tree fell on it died at a hospital.

In nearby Cornwall, people had to briefly evacuate their homes as flood waters and torrential rain battered villages. Major highways and roads in the southwest were closed due to the flooding and several train services were canceled. Officials said the situation was stabilizing there, but weather forecasters said persistent rain would continue in the north of England and Scotland today. (More England stories.)