Seawall being shored up ahead of Storm Ciaran - with further disruption expected
Devon is preparing for the arrival of Storm Ciaran
A temporary barrier is being created on Exmouth seafront as Devon prepares for Storm Ciaran.
The county council say it will have extra resources on standby as they prepare for debris on the roads and potential flooding.
Councillor Geoff Jung, from East Devon District Council, said: "Following the appearance of cracks in the seawall in front of Sideshore a few weeks ago, the council appointed a marine contractor to assess what works were needed. Last weekend, large seas and high tides worsened the situation, with large cracks appearing in the promenade and revetment wall.
"With Storm Ciaran approaching, we are concerned about possible further damage and a failure of the seawall. To minimise the impact of the storm, large plant and heavy earth moving equipment will be arriving at the site from 10am on Tuesday, 30 October. This machinery will move and compact sand, wrapped in geotextile to create a temporary barrier to lessen the impact of waves until the storm passes. Some geotextiles will be placed on top of the sand and held down with large concrete blocks too. Whilst the operation is carried out, sections of the beach will need to be restricted.
"Following this, further assessments of the damage and the required repairs will be made, and medium and long-term solutions will be proposed. In the meantime, fencing has been erected to keep people off the affected section of the promenade. The situation will continue to be monitored and if necessary, the footway and cycle way may need to be temporarily closed."
A spokesperson for Devon County Council said, with the ground already saturated, 'there's a high chance that there’ll be a lot of debris on the roads and a risk of highway flooding'.
They added that the council is 'putting on extra resources to help deal with the situation' and will 'have additional staff working and monitoring the highway from their Control Centre in Exeter'.
'Additional gangs will be on standby, including tree surgeons and gully suckers/jetters, to keep drains and gullies as clear as possible', they said and 'are also working with partners to ensure that the highway is as prepared as possible for the storm, including encouraging contractors to secure locations, such as roadworks and scaffolding'.
Councillor Stuart Hughes, the Council's Cabinet Member with responsibility for highway management, said: "The unsettled weather is due to continue, with Storm Ciaran bringing another bout of heavy rain and strong winds across Devon this Wednesday and Thursday.
"As ever, we'd ask road users to use their judgement about whether it's sensible to venture out, and to do so with the utmost care if they do.
"With a lot of trees still in leaf, we're expecting that the high winds and heavy rain will bring down a lot of debris onto the highway, and making the risk of surface flooding in some areas more likely.
"We advise highway users to keep an eye on the Met Office’s latest updates, whilst also following Devon Highways updates via @devonalert
"The Met Office warns that the storm might also lead to power cuts, and of potential hazard to the public on beaches, piers, and promenades."