Storm Babet: At least three killed after severe flooding in Scotland; warnings issued across UK

At least three people have been killed after parts of eastern Scotland witnessed severe flooding on Friday (Oct 20) due to storm Babet which brought torrential rain and high-speed winds leaving thousands of homes without power. Amber and yellow weather warnings were issued across the United Kingdom.

At least three killed in Scotland

According to police, the body of a 57-year-old woman had been recovered after she was swept into a river in the northeast part of Scotland’s Angus County, on Thursday afternoon.

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A 56-year-old man was also killed in the same county after a falling tree hit the vehicle he was driving later in the evening.

Another man in his 60s died after his vehicle got caught in the fast-flowing flood water in the central English county of Shropshire.

Storm Babet’s impact

ABoeing 737-800 skidded off the runwayat Leeds Bradford airport in northern England while trying to land amid strong winds. However, local emergency services said there were no reported injuries.

“Angus is in the middle of a very serious emergency. Flooding is unprecedented,” said Angus Council, in a statement, adding that “Conditions will continue to deteriorate for some time.”

Flood defences in northeast Scotland’s town of Brechin, as per county officials breached at around 0300 GMT on Friday, and the level of a river rose around 4.4 metres above normal.

Scottish leader Humza Yousaf warned that he could not “stress how dangerous” conditions were, particularly in Brechin. Rescue operations are also underway as hundreds of homes were cut off by floodwater and some areas in the region were only accessible via boat.

Local officials in Angus had asked people to evacuate from more than 400 homes on Thursday. “It’s just absolutely horrendous. I’ve never seen anything like it,” said local councillor Jill Scott, adding that hundreds of homes have been flooded and people are trapped.

“Some have been stuck there for hours,” said Scott, adding that boats are trying to get to them but have failed so far since the current is “too strong.”

‘Exception rainfall’

Britain’s national weather forecaster, the Met Office, issued its rare red alert and warned parts of eastern Scotland to brace for “exceptional rainfall” of up to 8.6 inches on Friday and Saturday.

The warning was also extended until 2259 GMT on Saturday. “This is an exceptional event, and we are likely to continue to see significant impacts with the potential for further flooding,” said Met Office Chief Meteorologist Andy Page.

The Met Office has also issued amber and yellow weather warnings in place for much of England.

Scandinavia braces for storm Babet

Scandinavian countries braced for the storm’s arrival which has already prompted cancellation of flights and ferries across Northern Europe, with the strongest winds expected overnight into Saturday.

The Copenhagen Airport in Denmark said as many as 77 flights to and from the city have been cancelled. Several ferry operators suspended services between Denmark and Germany as well as Sweden and Germany and Sweden and Poland, reported AFP.

(With inputs from agencies)

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