UK storm: Rain and winds batter Devon and Cornwall

High seas have been causing concerns in Porthleven

Waves were seen blowing over the Penzance Promenade

Snow fell on Dartmoor and Exmoor

Heavy rain and strong winds have been battering Devon and Cornwall again, with further flooding in some coastal communities.

In Dawlish, people have been evacuated from their homes after a previous storm washed away the embankment and damaged the railway track.

Trains between Exeter and Penzance have been suspended.

Power cuts have affected about 6,700 homes across both counties, said Western Power Distribution.

Cars in lake

Supt Claire Armes said: "Thirty people have been evacuated from Sea Lawn Terrace as a safety precaution because of high tides and strong winds.

"The residents have been taken to Dawlish Leisure Centre and Teignbridge Council is sorting out their accommodation.

"The worst of the weather is not over and they will not return to their homes tonight."

Supt Armes said there would be a site visit with Network Rail and building controllers on Saturday at 09:00 GMT.

"A decision will be made after the visit as to when people will return," she added.

Elsewhere, four people escaped from two cars which ended-up in Slapton Ley, which is a large lake on the south Devon coast.

A spokesman from Brixham Coastguard said it was unclear how the vehicles ended up in the water at about 18:00 GMT.

He added all four people were not injured.

In St Neot, in Cornwall, a man who was stuck in a van in flood water, was rescued by fire crews. His condition is not known.

'Monstrous waves'

Across the South West, several severe flood warnings have been issued by the Environment Agency.

About 20 properties have been flooded in Penzance, and a "small number" in Newlyn.

Flooding has also been reported in Looe, Cawsand, Kingsand, Kingsbridge and Salcombe and a flood warning is in place along Cornwall's north coast.

Police and local councils have warned people to stay away from the coast because of big waves and strong winds.

In Kingsand, the BBC's Alison Johns said the waves were "monstrous" and properties had been flooded along the seafront.

She said: "At the moment, even though the waves are pounding the clock tower, it is still standing and everyone is holding their breath."

Military teams - involving 30 personnel - from RNAS Culdrose have helped put sandbags in place for people in Bude, Helston and Penzance.

Strong winds are forecast from 18:00 GMT into the early hours of Saturday and gusts of up to 80mph are expected in some areas on Friday evening.

Snow fell on Dartmoor and Exmoor on Friday morning.

The storm-damaged clock tower in Kingsand has once again been battered by large waves

People in Ashburton said some gardens have flooded

Salcombe in Devon is one of the coastal communities affected by flooding

The BBC's Sarah Ransome, in Plymouth, said there were large waves crashing into the city's shoreline.

Elsewhere in the area, people in the nearby village of Colebrook reported backyards and gardens flooding and manholes covers being lifted by the force of water.

Colebrook flooded six times in 2012 and some residents were forced from their homes for up to six months.

A £1.5m flood defence scheme by South West Water, the Environment Agency and Plymouth City Council, which was due to be built later this month, is undergoing the final stages of its design process, South West Water said.

Several properties - including the Colebrook Inn - were flooded, but plans put in place by the community last year came into action.

The BBC's Lynne French, whose home was flooded in 2012, said: "Flood barriers fitted appear to have worked where they've been put in place and chain gangs of residents carried out bailing, helping each other out."

Water levels later subsided, she added.

Flooded roads have been reported across Devon and Cornwall

Residents had to clear out overflowing drains in Ugborough

In other developments:

• Surface water flooding and fallen trees have been reported on roads across Devon and Cornwall

• The Highways Agency urged road users to take care when out, to plan their journeys and delay their travel if the weather becomes severe

• A landslip has blocked a section of the westbound carriageway of the A38 in Devon

• Train services between Exeter St Davids and London Waterloo have been disrupted because of the weather

• National Rail Enquiries said flooding at Axminster had closed lines between Crewkerne and Exeter St Davids

• Bus firm Stagecoach said it was accepting rail tickets for bus journeys between Exeter and Newton Abbot until the rail line reopens

• Penzance's Promenade has been closed due to the weather. Police have advised pedestrians to avoid the area

• Friday's 22:00 Brittany Ferries sailing from Plymouth to Roscoff has been cancelled

• The Tamar Bridge, which connects Devon and Cornwall, has had one of its three lanes shut and is closed to high-sided vehicles, bikes and caravans

• The Cremyll Ferry from Plymouth to Mount Edgcumbe, the St Mawes passenger ferry and the Teignmouth-to-Saldon ferry are not running

• All Isles of Scilly Skybus flights to and from Newquay Airport are cancelled

• Cornwall's multi-agency Silver Control centre has reopened to co-ordinate a county-wide response to weather incidents

• Free sandbags will be issued to households in Cornwall at risk of flooding from Friday

• Strong winds have also been reported on the Isles of Scilly.

Are you in the affected areas? Have you been affected by the flooding? Email us at [e-mail].