Storm Babet – live: Woman’s body pulled from river as rare red weather warning in force in Scotland

A woman’s body has been recovered from a river in Angus, after the 57-year-old was swept into the Water of Lee at Glen Esk earlier today.

Officers were called to reports that a person had entered the water at 1pm, with her body retrieved at around 4pm.

A rare red weather warning is in place across the area, with Police Scotland confirming there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident.

While urging people to stay at home and avoid travel, Deputy First Minister Shona Robison said: “Storm Babet is still in its early stages and the worst impacts are yet to come.

An entire town has been evacuated over flooding fears as Storm Babet batters Scotland with landslides and a potentially record amount of rain.

Residents of Brechin in Angus have been ordered to leave, while around 10,000 homes in Scotland have lost power due to the storm.

In Ireland, the army was deployed after Cork County Council said more than a month’s worth of rain fell in 24 hours, leading to unprecedented flooding.

Have you been affected by Storm Babet? We want to hear from you. Write to maryam.zakir-hussain@independent.co.uk.

Key Points

• Woman’s body recovered from Angus river

• ‘Worst impacts are yet to come,’ says deputy first minister

• Town evacuated over flooding fears

• Amber weather warning for Scotland as month’s worth of rain predicted

• UK and Ireland brace for heavy rain and flooding

Police search for man trapped in vehicle in floodwater

10:35 , Athena Stavrou

A major search has been launched for a man trapped in a vehicle in floodwater near Maykirk in Aberdeenshire this morning.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said they had received a report of a man within a vehicle trapped in floodwater at 3am on Friday.

They added that multi-agency searches are ongoing and asked the public to avoid the area “for their safety”.

Some areas now only accessible by boat

11:10 , Athena Stavrou

Angus Council said parts of the county were now only accessible by boat after flooding from Storm Babet.

“Over 350 homes across Angus were contacted yesterday and advised to evacuate,” a spokesman said.

“Brechin, and increasingly other parts of Angus, are now only accessible via boat. Rescue crews are now dealing with over 100 calls from areas which were asked to evacuate yesterday evening.

“Emergency rest centres in Brechin, Montrose and Forfar are open to all those in need in Angus, pets are welcome too.

The council also appealed for warm clothing, adding: “If anyone lives near the Brechin Community Campus that is able to get to the rest centre without putting themselves at risk, we are looking for donations of all types of warm clothing for adults.

“We now have in excess of 40 adults who have arrived at the rest centre with only the soaked clothes they have arrived in.”

Some people may not be back in homes by Christmas

10:50 , Athena Stavrou

Some people affected by the floods in Brechin, Angus, may not be back in their homes by Christmas, one local councillor has warned as he said waters in the Scottish town are still rising.

Residents of 335 homes in Brechin, Scotland, were asked to leave for “their own safety” during Storm Babet on Thursday, which is battering parts of the UK.

Gavin Nicol said the town’s flood barriers are 3.8m high but the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has warned the water could reach 5m.

He said: “With the amount of rain we’re getting it might even supersede that. It’s just a disaster. The water is not going down, it is still rising.”

Mr Nicol, Conservative representative for the Brechin and Edzell Ward on Angus Council, said high tide at around 5pm on Friday could pose a particular problem.

He said: “My thoughts go out to those affected. With this time of year, it’s coming up to Christmas, and some people might not even get back in their homes by then.”

Latest pictures as Storm Babet batters the UK on Friday morning

09:55 , Athena Stavrou

Video captures huge waves crashing against sea wall

09:34 , Athena Stavrou

Dramatic footage has been shared to social media, showing huge waves crashing against a sea wall.

The clip is thought to have been taken on Friday morning in Bridlington, East Yorkshire.

People ‘stuck for hours’ amid flooding chaos

09:17 , Athena Stavrou

Residents of 335 homes in Brechin, Scotland, were asked to leave for “their own safety” during Storm Babet, which is battering parts of the UK.

Flood defences in the town were breached overnight, and social media footage shows water pouring onto a street.

Brechin and Edzell councillor, Jill Scott, said: “It’s horrific. It’s just absolutely horrendous. I’ve never seen anything like it. People are trapped in closes, not even in River Street but round the back at Nursery Park. Some have been stuck there for hours.

“The boats are trying to get to them. They can’t get to them because the current is too strong. There will be hundreds of houses flooded.

“It unbelievable. It’s devastating. I don’t know what the council’s going to do to be honest – how many people they are going to have to rehome. People will have lost everything.”

Ireland propose to offer up to 20,000 euro for those affected by flooding

09:12 , Athena Stavrou

Ireland’s Minister for Finance Michael McGrath has said a proposal is being worked on to increase the level of support that will be offered to those affected by flooding in Co Cork.

He said money will be available via the Emergency Humanitarian Aid Scheme administered by the Red Cross to people and businesses affected by flooding “from next week”.

This currently offers an initial 5,000 euro and further support up to 20,000 euro based on the scale of damage.

“The assessment of the full scale of the damage to homes and businesses will take some time, but the support will be there and that is the overarching message,” Mr McGrath told RTE Radio on Friday.

Mr McGrath said a proposal was being worked on by Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney to offer “an increased level of support”, and would go to Cabinet next week.

Co Cork was hit by extreme flooding due to Storm Babet on Wednesday. Mr McGrath and Mr Coveney visited areas affected by the flooding in their home county of Cork on Thursday.

Train services suspended

08:49 , Athena Stavrou

ScotRail said train services remain suspended on several routes in north and north-east Scotland.

They are suspended between Aberdeen and Elgin; Edinburgh and Aberdeen via Fife; Perth and Aberdeen via Dundee; Dunblane and Perth; Perth and Aviemore; and Tain and Wick/Thurso.

All Fife Circle services are also suspended, impacting services between Glasgow Queen Street and Aberdeen/Inverness; and Edinburgh Waverley and Aberdeen/Inverness.

Angus county experiencing a “very serious emergency” due to flooding

08:42 , Athena Stavrou

The county of Angus is experiencing a “very serious emergency” with flooding due to Storm Babet in Brechin.

Flood defences in the town were breached overnight, and social media footage shows water pouring onto a street.

On Thursday, hundreds had been told to evacuate their homes.

Angus Council posted on social media saying: ““It has been a very challenging night, Brechin defences were breached around 04:00 this morning and the river levels are around 4.4m above normal levels.

“This is completely unprecedented and at these heights, gauges have become unreliable.

“We completely understand that it is very hard to leave your home but parts of Brechin, and increasingly other parts of Angus, are now only accessible via boat.

“Rescue crews are now dealing with around 100 calls from areas which were asked to evacuate yesterday evening.”

The council urged anyone at risk of flooding to evacuate as soon as possible and three rest centres have been set up nearby for those who need to leave.

Major roads closed

08:22 , Athena Stavrou

Several sections of major Scottish roads are closed due to Storm Babet.

Two sections of the A90 have been closed between Myrekirk and Swallow Roundabouts, Dundee and Ellon and Bogbrae, Aberdeenshire due to flooding and a fallen tree.

The A7 in both directions has also been closed at Langholm, Dumfries and Galloway due to a fallen tree.

The A85 at Hunting tower near Perth has been closed due to flooding along with the A9 Jubilee Bridge near Dunkeld, Perthshire due to adverse “weather conditions”.

National Highways said the A15 Humber Bridge between North Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire is closed in both directions to “high-sided and vulnerable vehicles” due to strong winds.

Diversion routes have been created.

Roads flooded as Storm Babet batters Scotland

07:57 , Athena Stavrou

Videos shared to social media show extreme flooding in Dundee, Scotland.

The footage shows an entire street flooded - with cars submerged up to their headlights in the water.

A rare red “danger to life” weather warning for rain was extended into Dundee on Thursday and is expected to be in place until noon today.

164mm of rainfall in some places

07:32 , Athena Stavrou

Some areas have seen up to 164mm of rainfall from Storm Babet since midnight on Thursday.

The area hit by the most rain is Waterside Perth in central Scotland, followed by Invermark towards the east of Scotland, according to the Met Office.

Scotland usually sees average rainfall of 176mm across the entire month of October.

Weather forecast for Thursday as Storm Babet continues to batter the UK

07:10 , Stuti Mishra

Heavy rains have continued this morning in large parts of Scotland and northern UK brought by Storm Babet.

The clouds are spreading across the eastern parts as well as several yellow weather warnings remain in the place covering large parts of the country.

Some brighter spells are, however, possible across southern counties of England and northwest Scotland, the forecaster says, but heavy showers will dominate most of the day, continuing through the evening and overnight.

Scotland could see water levels rising by 5 metres

06:43 , Stuti Mishra

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has said that river levels could reach an "unprecedented" five metres above normal levels as heavy rainfall from Storm Babet continues.

Severe flood warnings were expanded for the River Esk, including into Aberdeenshire. Sepa added the villages of Logie Mill and Craigo to places at risk of severe flooding in Angus, as well as Brechin and nearby Finavon and Tannadice, while the village of Marykirk, Aberdeenshire, was put on high alert.

Red alert for parts of Scotland continues to be in place

06:15 , Stuti Mishra

The rare red alert in Scotland for wind and rain covers an area from southern Aberdeenshire and Angus to the outskirts of Dundee and Perth. The warning continues to be in place till noon today.

What should you expect under a red warning?

• Danger to life from fast flowing or deep floodwater

• Extensive flooding to homes and businesses

• Collapsed or damaged buildings or structures

• Road closures and bus and train service delays and cancellations

• Dangerous driving conditions because of spray and flooded roads

• Loss of power and other essential services, such as gas, water and mobile phone service

• Communities completely cut off, perhaps for several days.

Yellow warning for southeast England

05:34 , Stuti Mishra

A yellow weather warning for rain came into effect across southeastern parts of England at 10pm yesterday as heavy showers began spreading down south.

The warning continues to remain in place until 9am today.

More than 11cm of rain has fallen in some places in Scotland

05:05 , Stuti Mishra

The Met Office has posted the highest rainfall totals for Thursday, with some areas seeing more than 10cm of rain.

Waterside Perth saw 11.2cm of rain while further north Invermark had a 10.7cm deluge.

Police recovers body of woman swept away in Scotland

04:45 , Stuti Mishra

Police have recovered the body of the woman from a river in Angus after heavy rains and winds swept her away amid red weather alert in force.

The identity of the woman was not revealed but the police said she was 57 years old.

“Around 1.45pm on Thursday October 19, officers attended a report of a person having been swept into the Water of Lee, Glen Esk.

“Around 4pm, the body of a 57-year-old woman was recovered from the river."

“There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”

Woman dies in Storm Babet with hundreds of homes evacuated

04:22 , Stuti Mishra

A woman has died after flooding caused by Storm Babet saw hundreds of homes evacuated, while thousands were hit by power cuts across Scotland.

First Minister Humza Yousaf led tributes to the 57-year-old woman who was swept away at the Water of Lee, Glen Esk, just before 2pm on Thursday.

Efforts were made to convince residents of Brechin, Angus, to evacuate 400 homes, with the coastguard and fire crews going door-to-door after some people refused to leave.

Read more:

Woman dies in Storm Babet with hundreds of homes evacuated

Inside the Scottish town evacuated as Storm Babet threatens record rainfall

02:00 , Holly Evans

Hundreds of Scots have been told to evacuate their homes amid warnings Storm Babet could pose a “danger to life”.

Residents of 335 homes in Brechin, Scotland, were asked to leave for “their own safety” during Storm Babet, which is battering parts of the UK on Thursday.

The storm, which hit Ireland after sweeping in from the Atlantic, is expected to bring 70mph gusts and over a month’s worth of rain to some regions of the UK.

Read more here

Inside the Scottish town evacuated as Storm Babet threatens record rainfall

Storm Babet in pictures as town evacuated and roads collapse during red warning downpours

01:00 , Holly Evans

Storm Babet is wreaking havoc in the north of the UK, with hundreds of homes flooded or evacuated and two more days of torrential rain to come.

Red, amber and yellow weather warnings are in place for large parts of the country with heavy downpours set to move south on Friday and into the weekend.

The Irish army has been deployed in parts of Cork, Ireland, while the extreme weather could bring up to 220mm of rain in some areas of eastern Scotland, close to the highest ever recorded in a 24-hour period.

Read more here

Storm Babet in pictures as town evacuated and roads collapse in torrential downpours

‘Major clean-up operation’ expected over the weekend

Friday 20 October 2023 00:00 , Holly Evans

Deputy First Minister Shona Robison has warned that the worst impacts of Storm Babet are yet to come and the government expects to lauch a “major clean-up operation” over the weekend.

The Scottish government’s resilience room met this evening - before the worst of the storm is expected to hit.

Ms Robson said weather conditions are set to “deteriorate seriously overnight” and the government was co-ordinating a national effort to ensure that people are safe.

People in red warning areas are urged not to travel unless they are advised to relocate to a rest centre.

She said: “We are working with partners across the country, including emergency services, the voluntary sector and energy companies, to make sure that we mitigate disruption as much as possible.

“However, we are clear that there will be considerable disruption and we expect to launch a major clean-up operation as we move into the weekend.”

Flood warning expanded into Aberdeenshire

Thursday 19 October 2023 23:00 , Holly Evans

Severe flood warnings were expanded for the River Esk in Scotland, including into Aberdeenshire.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) added the villages of Logie Mill and Craigo to places at risk of flooding in Angus, as well as Brechin and nearby Finavon and Tannadice.

The village of Marykirk, Aberdeenshire, was put on high alert.

Disruption to electricity and power expected to continue overnight

Thursday 19 October 2023 22:30 , Holly Evans

Andy Smith, operations director at Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks distribution, said: “Storm Babet has tracked as expected so far, with wind gusts in excess of 70mph across the north-east and Angus, and we anticipate further network impact overnight and into tomorrow.

“Our teams have made significant progress across today and we have 10 times our usual operational capacity to respond to any issues as they occur.

“We apologise to all those affected by any power outages, and I want to reassure our customers we’re doing everything we can to restore power as quickly as possible.

“We encourage anyone who may need additional support to contact our dedicated teams on the 24-hour power cut helpline on 105.”

20,000 homes in Scotland lost power in Storm Babet

Thursday 19 October 2023 22:00 , Holly Evans

More than 20,000 homes in Scotland lost power due to Storm Babet, according to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN).

The energy provider said as of 8.45pm it had restored services to almost 18,500 homes and is working to reconnect 3,300 more properties which have been cut off.

Aberdeenshire and Angus are the main areas affected by power cuts.

SSEN has extra staff and equipment in place, including mobile generators.

Reconnection work will continue on Thursday night “for as long as it is safe to do so” before resuming first thing on Friday.

Four flood warnings issued for northern England and the Midlands

Thursday 19 October 2023 21:58 , Holly Evans

Four flood warnings have been issued for parts of northern England and the Midlands, with Storm Babet set to sweep southwards on Friday.

Warnings that flooding is expected have been issued by the Environment Agency’s Floodline service in Sandsend, North Yorkshire; Bridlington, East Yorkshire; the Tyne estuary and in areas surrounding the River Maun in Nottinghamshire.

The agency also has 79 flood alerts, warnings that flooding is possible, in effect across the rest of England.

Angus Council warns of ‘serious risk to life’ due to excessive flooding

Thursday 19 October 2023 21:40 , Holly Evans

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has issued a warning river levels could reach an “unprecedented” 5m about normal levels during Storm Babet.

It said: “The Brechin flood defences are designed to deal with river levels of 3.8m.”

Angus Council wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday night: “There is a serious risk to life from excessive flooding. We are currently revisiting all properties identified as at risk to evacuate remaining residents who were reluctant to leave earlier.”

First tributes appear for woman killed in Storm Babet

Thursday 19 October 2023 21:18 , Holly Evans

Tributes have been paid to the first victim of Storm Babet.

After a 57-year-old woman died after being swept into a river in Angus, Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Such sad news. My thoughts are with the family, friends and loved ones of the woman who has sadly lost her life.”

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross wrote: “Dreadful news from Angus this evening.

“My thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of the lady who has sadly lost her life.”

Fire crews begin evacuating residents from Scottish town

Thursday 19 October 2023 21:03 , Holly Evans

Fire crews and the coastguard have begun evacuating residents from a town affected by Storm Babet.

Two fire engines and multiple coastguard vehicles are currently in River Street, Brechin, as crews from both services knock on residents’ doors advising them to leave the area.

Some people can be seen leaving the area. Earlier on Thursday, two residents living on the street told the PA news agency that they had no intention of leaving their homes despite the severe weather warning.

‘Worst impacts are yet to come,’ says deputy first minister

Thursday 19 October 2023 20:31 , Holly Evans

Following a meeting of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) on Thursday evening, Deputy First Minister Shona Robison said: “Storm Babet is still in its early stages and the worst impacts are yet to come.

“Protecting the public is our immediate priority and we are co-ordinating a national effort to ensure that people are safe.

“The red warning has been expanded to cover further parts of Scotland and we expect weather conditions to deteriorate seriously overnight. Our message is clear – if you live in the areas covered by the red warning, please stay at home and do not travel, unless advised to relocate to a rest centre.”

Woman’s body recovered from Angus river

Thursday 19 October 2023 20:18 , Holly Evans

Police have confirmed the body of a 57-year-old woman has been recovered from a river in Angus, where a rare red weather warning is in place.

Officers were called to the Water of Lee at Glen Esk at about 1:45pm and the body was found at 4pm.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 1.45pm on Thursday October 19, officers attended a report of a person having been swept into the Water of Lee, Glen Esk.

“Around 4pm, the body of a 57-year-old woman was recovered from the river.

“There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”

Local says river bursting was ‘scary’ as fears of flooding grow

Thursday 19 October 2023 20:10 , Holly Evans

Video footage filmed in Angus Glen showed a river bursting over a bridge.

Estate manager Dee Ward, 58, said the river near Killiemuir, Angus, was “scary” and he wanted to raise awareness of climate change.

Mr Ward said: “It is quite scary, we get these seasons now where we get really bad storms blowing in from the Atlantic.

“What I’m noticing is the rainfall is much heavier, we had heavy rain from about 8am.

“It’s just accumulated, the river rises very quickly.”

Households affected by Storm Babet urged to tell insurers as soon as possible

Thursday 19 October 2023 19:50 , Holly Evans

Households and businesses affected by Storm Babet are being urged to contact their insurer for help and advice.

Insurers’ first priority when helping customers affected by Storm Babet will be to make sure they recover as quickly as possible, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

The storm was expected to bring over one month’s worth of rain in the worst affected regions of the UK on Thursday.

Read more here

Households affected by Storm Babet urged to tell insurers as soon as possible

In Pictures: Communities cut off as Storm Babet brings ‘unprecedented’ rain

Thursday 19 October 2023 19:30 , Holly Evans

Some residents have been asked to evacuate their homes as Storm Babet swept across the UK and Ireland on Thursday.

The Met Office issued a rare red weather warning for parts of Scotland and said some communities could be cut off for several days by severe flooding.

Read more here

In Pictures: Communities cut off as Storm Babet brings ‘unprecedented’ rain

Waves around 20ft high crash into town in Aberdeenshire

Thursday 19 October 2023 19:10 , Holly Evans

Pictures have shown massive waves crashing at Stonehaven Harbour in Aberdeenshire, at around around 5pm on Thursday.

David Jacobs, 56, said he saw waves around 20ft high on the coast of the town, which is covered by a red weather warning.

Mr Jacobs, director of Stonehaven Paddleboarding, said he expects the weather to be worse on Friday, adding: “The waves were about 20ft, or seven metres.

“The wind is swinging east tomorrow so it will be coming directly into the harbour.

“The last time I have seen weather like this was 2014. It is quite spectacular to watch but bits of trees and rocks land onto the road.”

Storm Babet could hit more parts of Scotland in coming days

Thursday 19 October 2023 18:46 , Holly Evans

The Deputy First Minister warned that Storm Babet could hit more parts of Scotland in the coming days.

Shona Robison said: “We are only at the start of this weather event – that’s really important for people to appreciate.

“There is the risk, danger, and possibility of more areas being affected so we will make sure that any changes are communicated as quickly as possible.”

Deputy first minister denies residents should have been evacuated sooner

Thursday 19 October 2023 18:25 , Holly Evans

Scotland’s Deputy First Minister denied that residents should have been evacuated from areas expected to be hit by Storm Babet sooner.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, Shona Robison described it as a “moving situation”.

She said: “The services are doing their best to act as quickly as they can.

“Everybody is working very, very hard to make sure particularly those vulnerable people are supported to leave their homes.

“Those that are vulnerable will be put up in hotel accommodation.”

Latest pictures from Stonehaven Harbour

Thursday 19 October 2023 18:18 , Holly Evans

Met Office’s rare red weather warning for Scotland comes into force

Thursday 19 October 2023 18:08 , Holly Evans

A rare red weather warning has come into force in eastern Scotland as Storm Babet batters parts of the country.

The storm is expected to bring extreme rain, wind and flooding that could be a threat to life.

People in Angus and south Aberdeenshire, as well as parts of Perth, Dundee and Kinross, have been urged to stay at home and to avoid travel.

Scotland’s Deputy Minister says Storm Babet is ‘very serious situation’

Thursday 19 October 2023 18:03 , Holly Evans

Scotland’s Deputy First Minister Shona Robison described Storm Babet as a “very serious situation”.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, she said: “Red warnings are not often issued by the Met Office so it’s very important that people pay attention to those.

“People should check in with Police Scotland or Transport Scotland to make sure they know whether their area is covered.

“People should absolutely not travel in those areas.”

Met Office extends Storm Babet red warning area in Scotland

Thursday 19 October 2023 17:19 , Holly Evans

Hundreds of residents have been told to evacuate their homes amid a red weather warning as Storm Babet sweeps across Scotland.

Angus Council is evacuating more than 400 homes in the red weather warning area “for their own safety”, with three rest centres set up.

Two further rest centres are being prepared in Aberdeenshire, for residents unable to remain in their homes.

The Met Office has extended the weather warning from the initial warning area to cover the area north of Perth and Aberfeldy.

Financial package could be more than allocated 10 million euro, says Varadkar

Thursday 19 October 2023 16:51 , Holly Evans

Leo Varadkar said he would not be able to say how much the financial package for Storm Babet damages would be, but said there could be potential for it to be more than the 10 million euro the Irish government has initially allocated.

“There’s an initial allocation of 10 million to help families and businesses that are affected, and clubs and voluntary organisations too, but it’s not capped at 10 million, that’s just the initial allocation that’s made,” the Taoiseach.

“What I’ve asked the council to do, is to really carry out an assessment of the damage to the public infrastructure, in particular the roads and bridges, send it in to us and then we’ll have to make a special allocation to cover that.”

Irish government will offer financial package to flooded homes and businesses

Thursday 19 October 2023 16:24 , Holly Evans

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the government will be offering a financial package to homes and businesses damaged in floods during Storm Babet.

Mr Varadkar visited some affected in Midleton, Co Cork.

“It’s very, very hard to know what to say. I visited a few places affected by floods in the past but this is particularly bad,” he said.

“Water levels rose very high, the water came very quickly, and of course, a lot of the water is dirty. So a lot of damage done here is to homes as well.

“But we’re not just here as a government to just to express solidarity, we’re here to help.

“So we’re putting in place a financial package to help homes that are affected, businesses that weren’t insured – clearly a lot of damage to roads and bridges as well and they’re going to need to be repaired.

“So we’re going to make sure that that help’s on the way and finally, just really want to express my thanks to all of the people who work in the emergency services, the public services, all the volunteers.”

Storm causes funerals to be postponed until next week- Aberdeenshire Council

Thursday 19 October 2023 16:02 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Funerals have been postponed until next week by Aberdeenshire Council due to Storm Babet.

Leisure centres, recycling centres, and vaccination centres all closed early due to the red weather warning, and will be shut on Friday.

Rest centres were set up at Stonehaven Community Centre and Mearns Campus at Laurencekirk in a “proactive approach to safeguard community health and wellbeing” in anticipation of the worst weather.

Preparations are being made for additional rest centres in Aberdeenshire, and the local authority is looking into providing food for those who use them.

Burials are being postponed until “at least Monday next week”, as the council said “it is neither safe for mourners or staff”.

Storm Babet in pictures as town evacuated and roads collapse during red warning downpours

Thursday 19 October 2023 15:51 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Storm Babet is wreaking havoc in the north of the UK, with hundreds of homes flooded or evacuated and two more days of torrential rain to come.

Red, amber and yellow weather warnings are in place for large parts of the country with heavy downpours set to move south on Friday and into the weekend.

The Irish army has been deployed in parts of Cork, Ireland, while the extreme weather could bring up to 220mm of rain in some areas of eastern Scotland, close to the highest ever recorded in a 24-hour period.

Storm Babet in pictures as town evacuated and roads collapse in torrential downpours

Aberdeenshire Council to set up rest centres as Storm Babet wreaks chaos

Thursday 19 October 2023 15:38 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Aberdeenshire Council said it will be setting up rest centres in Stonehaven and Laurencekirk for residents unable to remain in their homes.

A spokesperson said: “It has been confirmed that rest centres at Stonehaven Community Centre and Mearns Campus at Laurencekirk are being stood up from around 4pm in a proactive approach to safeguard community health and wellbeing before the worst of the weather is upon us.

“We are working closely with emergency services, community partners and resilience groups around the readying of additional rest centre facilities should they be required across Aberdeenshire.

“Council services are discussing the potential of a limited catering offering, should it be required.”

Angus Council evacuates over 400 homes

Thursday 19 October 2023 15:19 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Angus Council is evacuating more than 400 homes in the red weather warning area of Storm Babet “for their own safety”.

The council said: “Over the past few days, resilience colleagues have been working with Sepa to identify areas at most risk of flooding due to the unprecedented level of rain that is expected to fall across Angus.

“Sepa have advised of a possible severe flood warning.

“As a result, we have identified approximately 335 homes in Brechin, and an additional 87 homes in Tannadice and Finavon where residents will be asked to evacuate for their own safety.”

Those affected are advised to attend three rest centres that have been set up in the area.

Storm Babet: 10,000 homes in Scotland lose power

Thursday 19 October 2023 15:04 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Around 10,000 homes in Scotland lost power due to Storm Babet, according to the Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN).

The energy provider said it had restored services to 7,000 homes.

Posting on X, formerly Twitter, it said it was “working to reconnect” around 3,000 more properties.

It warned customers not to touch damaged equipment and said it had extra staff to help.

Brechin resident ‘won’t leave home’ despite evacuations as Storm Babet hits Scottish town

Thursday 19 October 2023 14:31 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A Brechin resident says he has no intention of leaving his home despite reported evacuations amid a red weather warning.

John Stewart, 82, told the PA news agency he will not be leaving his home in Angus, Scotland should the local authorities attempt to evacuate him.

Instead, Mr Stewart has built a wall around his garden to protect his home from flood damage.

He said the wall had successfully stopped water from getting in from the street previously where flooding was severe.

He said: “I won’t be leaving because my wife won’t go.”

He added: “The trouble is, the last time there was flooding we couldn’t get sandbags and ended up paying £3 each for them.

“The council is supposed to give you that stuff and they don’t.”

Asked if he believes the council has a duty to supply such items to Brechin residents, he said they should “look after” the people in the area.

East Coast and West Coast main rail lines in disarray

Thursday 19 October 2023 13:27 , Jane Dalton

The two main north-south railways connecting Scotland with England are both suffering problems, writes Simon Calder.

The East Coast main line is blocked between Edinburgh and Berwick-upon-Tweed due to an object being caught on the overhead wires. One report says the offending item is a length of domestic cable. Disruption is expected until 3.15pm, says National Rail.

The 11.21am Lumo departure from Edinburgh to London Kings Cross has returned to Edinburgh, where it will be delayed. Passengers are being told they can travel on the 12.52pm Avanti West Coast service to London Euston.

But the West Coast main line is also blocked between Milton Keynes Central and Watford Junction, north of London.

Disruption on the line, which links northwest England and the West Midlands with London Euston, is expected until at least 3pm.

The “highland” Caledonian Sleeper between London Euston and Aberdeen, Fort William and Inverness has been cancelled in both directions on Thursday night, with a “high probability” of cancellation on Friday night as well.

The “lowland” sleeper linking London with Edinburgh and Glasgow is expected to be running as scheduled.

Town evacuated over flooding fears

Thursday 19 October 2023 13:12 , Jane Dalton

An entire town has been evacuated over flooding fears as Storm Babet hits Scotland.

Residents of Brechin in Angus have been ordered to leave after a red weather warning was issued.

Council officials will be going door-to-door making sure locals in the Brechin River and South Esk areas are complying.

Extensive river and surface water flooding expected in Scotland

Thursday 19 October 2023 13:03 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has said they are expecting “extensive river and surface water flooding” as Storm Babet hits.

Flood Duty Manager Pascal Lardet said: “Scotland has already experienced a significant flood event this month, which communities are still recovering from, and some of the rainfall totals forecast for this week are higher than experienced over that weekend - albeit in some different areas. We’re expecting extensive river and surface water flooding in affected areas, with widespread impacts to transport and infrastructure.

“There is a risk of more significant community scale property flooding - and there will be danger to life. Regional Flood Alerts have already been issued, and localised Flood Warnings will be issued over the next few days as rivers respond.

“However, it is important to note that not all areas that could be affected have Flood Warning schemes, so please do take a Flood Alert in your area as advance notice that you could be affected.

“Take action now to protect yourself and your property. Hazards can be hidden, so please don’t walk or drive into flood water. Remember that not only is flood water likely to be dirty, 30 cm of fast flowing water can move an average family sized car, and just 15 cm of fast flowing water could be enough to knock you off your feet.”

Downpours and blustery winds unleash across parts of Scotland

Thursday 19 October 2023 12:46 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A cocktail of heavy rain and strong winds lashes across central and eastern Scotland today, the Met Office said.

New and updated weather warnings as Storm Babet batters Britain

Thursday 19 October 2023 12:37 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A new amber warning for rain has been issued for parts of northern England, the Midlands and Wales, and a rare red weather warning is in place in Scotland.

The red Met Office warning says that from 6pm there is “danger to life from fast-flowing or deep floodwater” in Aberdeenshire and Angus in eastern Scotland, with extensive road closures expected.

Storm Babet is expected to bring 70mph gusts and more than a month’s worth of rain in the worst-affected regions of the UK on Thursday.

Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey said: “Within that warning area you could see 100mm-150mm (4in-6in) of rain quite widely, but then some locations could see as much as 200mm-250mm (8in-10in) of rain.

“The 30-year average for October rainfall in eastern Scotland is 129.53mm (5in). So some of those figures that are in the warning areas are certainly more than the average rainfall for the month in eastern Scotland.”

Flight cancellations increasing at Aberdeen airport and elsewhere

Thursday 19 October 2023 12:19 , Simon Calder

Dozens of flights are being cancelled as a result of Storm Babet. Loganair has just issued a list of 22 grounded flights on Thursday, Simon Calder reports.

Many of them are to and from Aberdeen. They include flights to and from each of Sumburgh in Shetland and Kirkwall in Orkney, as well as links with Belfast City, Birmingham, Dublin, Esbjerg, Manchester, Newcastle and Teeside.

Other cancellations include Dundee, Inverness and Glasgow to Shetland, and Inverness to Orkney.

Loganair is telling passengers: “Should customers booked to travel today (19 October) or tomorrow (20 October) wish to defer their travel, we’re offering the opportunity to adjust travel plans without charge.”

The Dutch airline KLM and Wideroe of Norway have cancelled Aberdeen flights from Amsterdam and Stavanger respectively.

Sewer flooding risk as Storm Babet hits Scotland

Thursday 19 October 2023 11:56 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Scottish Water warned of the risk of sewer flooding as Storm Babet hits Scotland and said staff are on standby.

The organisation said sewer flooding reports are expected to increase as drainage systems become overwhelmed by the extreme rainfall.

John Griffen, Scottish Water’s water operations general manager said: “We have activated contingency plans including increasing the numbers of staff and contractors on standby to support customers experiencing sewer flooding, and protect our critical infrastructure across water and waste water services.

“Plans are in place for known sewer flooding hotspots with tankers on-site, and we encourage any customer experiencing sewer flooding to report it as soon as possible via our customer engagement centre, open 24/7, on 0800 0778 778. We will attend and will prioritise those experiencing internal sewer flooding.

“We will continue to closely monitor the forecast and deploy resources where it is most needed. The safety of our teams is the highest priority and we ask for customers’ understanding if there are delays in responding to their concerns as travel, particularly in the Red Warning area, may be impacted by advice issued by Police Scotland and transport agencies.”