More flooding feared after ‘unprecedented’ rainfall from Storm Babet

Communities in Scotland are braced for more flooding after Storm Babet brought “unprecedented” rainfall and a red warning was extended.

First Minister Humza Yousaf warned of continuing dangers as he paid tribute to two people who died.

Rescues took place throughout Friday as hundreds of houses were flooded after the River South Esk breached its banks.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) warned a second major river, the Don, could breach on Saturday.

As of Saturday morning, Sepa has issued severe flood warnings for Marykirk in Aberdeenshire as well as parts of Dundee and Angus, with 17 flood warnings and 12 flood alerts also in place.

A village which is only accessible by helicopter during flooding was preparing for more deluges after being cut off on Friday.

The River Don is expected to flood after the Met Office red warning was extended while the A90 remains closed and 35,000 homes lost power on Friday, according to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN). Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) responded to nearly 70 weather-related crises.

Mr Yousaf paid tribute to two people who died in “tragic circumstances” and warned the public to be aware, while police warned the situation was “the worst ever seen” in some regions.

Dr Fiona Work, 58, set up the Edzell flood group in 2013 after she spent 10 months in temporary accommodation due to floods, which caused £1 million damage to the village.

The mother-of-one, who works as a teaching excellence fellow at Robert Gordon University, said the village becomes inaccessible to emergency services during flooding, and the community pulled together to plan preventative measures.

Dr Work said: “We are as prepared as we can be. Most of us will be very vigilant overnight.

“We are really fortunate to have a very proactive community. We set up the flood group in 2013 after £1 million damage was caused by flooding. I flooded in 2012 and spent 10 months in temporary accommodation.

“I would imagine it’s correct that Edzell was only accessible by helicopter, there was a helipad at a hotel at one point.

“Cars weren’t able to get in or out of Edzell for a certain period of time during these floods. There’s no access for emergency services, that’s why we work so closely with the Scottish Flood Forum, Angus Council, Sepa and the Met Office.”

Grandmother-of-three Christine Haggerty has lived in Edzell since 1985 and had never seen flooding so severe.

She said the village was usually a magnet for canoeists and tourists keen on fishing, but had been well prepared with efforts from a flood group and Angus Council which cleared leaves and drains in advance.

Mrs Haggerty said: “It looks like it will happen again but worse, it is really worrying.

“We have got these burns round about, if they were all breached you couldn’t get in or out.

“We are at the foot of a glen, there is a little stream which is practically bursting, and there is the North Esk.

“The rivers are taking the magnitude of it at the moment.”

A 200-year-old bridge on the Rottal Estate in Angus was washed away by torrential flood water, while a road in Marykirk, Aberdeenshire, where some houses were evacuated, also collapsed.

A spokesperson for Aberdeenshire Council said: “Latest modelling from Sepa is indicating that there is now a considerable risk of flooding on the River Don at Inverurie, Kemnay and Kintore tomorrow (Sat) between 10am and 2pm.”

Mr Yousaf said: “Storm Babet has now, tragically, claimed lives, and my deepest condolences go out to the families of those who have lost loved ones.

“Unfortunately, it is clear we have not seen the last of this storm.

“Around half the average monthly rainfall for October is expected to fall through tonight and tomorrow in areas that have already been severely affected by exceptional levels of rainfall.

“It was always expected that the impacts of the storm would continue even once the most severe aspects of the storm itself had subsided, but a new red weather alert makes the ongoing severity of this situation clear.”

Met forecaster Jonathan Vautrey told the PA news agency: “The focus of the rainfall from Saturday shifts back northwards over towards eastern and northern Scotland.

“Some parts of those areas have seen about a month and a half’s worth of rain already, but there’s another band that’s forecast to track its way northwards over the course of the night and push its way towards relatively similar areas.

“So there are further red and amber rain warnings in force for Saturday, with the potential to push those areas close towards two months of rain in the span of three days.

“We’ve already seen significant impacts of the rain that’s already fallen. So further rainfall could well exacerbate some of those impacts and provide those flooding issues, issues with transportation and potential power cuts as well.”

Assistant Chief Constable of Police Scotland Stuart Houston said: “With the red warning being extended until midnight Saturday, this remains a dangerous situation which poses a threat to life.

“Communities in Tayside are dealing with some of the most difficult conditions they have faced, with evacuations continuing of those affected by flooding.

“We are dealing with significant flooding issues, which pose a threat to life.”

Pascal Lardet, Sepa flood duty manager, said: “These are very difficult days for communities in Scotland who are experiencing flooding, in some cases for the second time in a month.

“There is more rain to come, and Sepa staff are working around the clock to provide vital information to partners and the public.”