Body found after woman swept into river

1. A woman's body has been found after she was swept into the Water of Lee in Angus, police have confirmed
2. A rare red weather warning has come into force in parts of eastern Scotland
3. Perth and Kinross; Dundee; Angus and south Aberdeenshire are all included in the most severe alert caused by Storm Babet
4. More than 400 homes in the Angus town of Brechin are told to leave as heavy rainfall is to cause exceptional flooding
5. The red warning - called when it is believed there is a serious risk to life - will run until about midday on Friday
6. Scotland's deputy first minister Shona Robison urges people in the affected areas to avoid travel and stay at home
7. Amber warnings remain in place across other parts of north east Scotland and the Highlands
8. Yellow severe weather warnings of wind and rain have also been issued for Northern Ireland and northern and eastern England

Storm Babet: The headlines

As we close our live coverage of the havoc wreaked by Storm Babet this evening, here's a reminder of today's headlines:

• Police recovered a woman's body from a river in Angus during a rare red weather warning covering eastern Scotland
• The 57-year-old was swept into the Water of Lee in Glen Esk as the storm battered parts of the country
• HM Coastguard knocked doors in Brechin urging people to evacuate as late as 22:00 on Thursday amid fears that the River South Esk could burst its banks
• Residents of more than 400 properties in Angus had been told to evacuate earlier

• The red severe weather alert – which warns of risk to life - was extended to more areas of Scotland including Perth and Kinross, Dundee, Angus and south Aberdeenshire and runs until noon on Friday
• At 21:45, 3,300 homes were without power as a result of the storm, according to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks
• Police advise against travel in the red alert area and to avoid it in areas covered by amber warnings
• The Forth Road Bridge remains closed, trains have been cancelled across Scotland, and CalMac’s ferry routes have been badly hit
• Schools in Angus will remain shut on Friday

• An amber warning for rain has been issued for parts of northern England and the Midlands
• In Cumbria, a woman and four-year-old girl had to be rescued from a car stuck in floodwater amid heavy rain
• A business owner in Devon said on Wednesday he had "lost everything" after his beach bar was swept into the sea

We'll be back with more live coverage from 06:00 tomorrow.

Wherever you are this evening, stay safe. Thanks for joining us. Today's editors were Paul McLaren, Mary McCool and Adam Durbin. The writers were Steven McKenzie, Aoife Walsh, Imogen James, Katy Scott and Craig Hutchison.

WATCH: Storm Babet crashes into Scotland... in 60 seconds

Key moments as Storm Babet crashes into Scotland... in 60 seconds

Storm Babet is breaking records

James Cook

Scotland Editor, BBC News, in Stonehaven

Storm Babet is smashing ashore here with striking force.

Huge waves are crashing over the harbour wall in Stonehaven. The sail of one yacht has been shredded by the wind and is flapping wildly. Another small vessel appears to have been swamped.

Half an hour away in the town of Brechin Angus Council says it fears the flood defences will be overwhelmed. It has identified 335 homes at risk of flooding in the next few hours.

Rest centres have been set up and residents are being urged to evacuate their houses in Brechin and in the villages of Finavon and Tannadice.

Around 3,300 homes are without power as a result of the storms, according Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, which says it has already reconnected a further 18,500 properties. Aidan McGivern from the Met Office said the storm may be record-breaking:

I can't think of a named storm that since we've been naming storms that has seen rainfall as severe as this in eastern Scotland. In fact, given the fact that it could be record breaking over a couple of days, it would be difficult to go back in the historical records going back to the 19th century to find an equivalent low pressure system or rain event to this.

It is less than two weeks since Scotland experienced the wettest two-day period on record. The Met Office says it's too early to say whether this storm is linked to climate change — but that a warmer planet means more moisture in the atmosphere which increases the chance of such storms happening.

Strong winds reach more than 70mph

Matt Taylor

BBC Weather

In Inverbervie, Aberdeenshire, winds gusted to speeds of over 70mph for nine hours today.

Such a persistent and strong easterly wind is unusual, and is helping to enhance the rainfall across the area.

Gales will also continue across much of Scotland tomorrow, and extend to northern England too.

Sepa warns of more severe flood warnings

Sepa has issued severe flood warnings for four areas across Scotland.

There are three severe alerts in Dundee and Angus covering Logie Mill and Craigo, Finavon and Tannadice, and Brechin.

Marykirk in Aberdeenshire is also at severe risk of flooding in the latest update.

The environment watchdog has issued flood warnings for areas in Findhorn, Nairn and Speyside, Tayside, and one area in Orkney as well.

Lesser flood alerts are in place for Fife, as well as most of the central belt and much of north and south Scotland.

A full list of regularly updated at-risk areas can be found here.

Coastguard goes door-to-door in Brechin amid evacuations

Getty Images

Members of HM Coastguard were seen knocking doors in Brechin, where the council has urged about 335 households to evacuate.

They are pictured on the town's River Street as they expect the River South Esk to burst its banks.

Peak water levels are expected between 01:00 and 08:00 on Friday.

Getty Images

Getty Images

School closures and defences

Angus Council closed its schools at midday on Thursday.

It said they will remain shut on Friday to "ensure the safety of children, young people, parents, and school staff".

Primary and secondary schools in Aberdeenshire Council are already closed for the October holidays, but the council confirmed both Crombie School and Bervie School nurseries will also be closed tomorrow.

Highland Council announced it was putting defence mechanisms in place in Kingussie, including around the high school.

'I don't think I can do it again' - the scene in Brechin

Louise Hosie

BBC Scotland News reporter in Brechin

In Brechin, Kim Clark has been facing the task of getting her house ready in case it floods.

She tells me the council has offered a place at a community centre but she wants to stay. She doesn't want to leave her dog behind.

The furniture has been stacked up so that as much as possible is away from the floor, she's unplugged her appliances and moved her personal effects upstairs.

Kim knows how devastating flooding can be as her home has been flooded three times before. She describes the experience as heartbreaking and exhausting.

"I'm getting a bit nervous now," she tells me. "I don't think I can do it again."

BBC

Kim Clark

Risk to life - if told to evacuate, please leave

That's the stark message Angus Council is delivering on X (formallly twitter).

The council says the latest modelling from Sepa is that water levels at the River South Esk in Brechin could reach an unprecedented 5m (16.4ft) above normal levels.

It adds the flood defences are designed to deal with levels of 3.8m (12.5ft), but the water could breach this long before peak levels between 01:00 and 08:00.

Around 3,300 homes are without power in Scotland

Storm Babet has already begun to have a severe impact across parts of Scotland.

As of 20:45, around 3,300 homes are without power as a result of the storms, according to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, which says it has already reconnected a further 18,500 properties.

Operations director Andy Smith says: "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."

Storm strikes the east coast of Scotland

Louise Cowie

BBC Scotland reporter in Arbroath

I've spent the day in Arbroath and things have deteroriated here by the hour.

All day huge waves have been crashing over the harbour wall.

It's unbelieveably wet and windy.

You can get a sense of the strength of the storm with this picture taken by my colleague BBC camera operator Kris Miller.

The picture is similar at Stonehaven a few miles up the coast where PA photographer Andrew Miiligan focused on the ferocious waves sweeping over the sea walls.

BBC

Arbroath harbour

PA Media

Stonehaven

PA Media

Stonehaven

PA Media

Stonehaven

Major clean-up operation after storm

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."

More rain on the way

Matt Taylor

BBC Weather

While the focus is rightly on the situation in eastern Scotland right now, there is also concern over the impact of rainfall expected to build up on the eastern side of the Pennines and Peak District, as well as parts of Greater Manchester, Cheshire and the Borders.

Another bout of persistent rain will move in later tonight, with easterly winds piling rain into the area tomorrow.

A Met Office amber warning comes into force from noon Friday.

Here are the forecast cumulative rainfall amounts for Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 100-140mm of rain is possible in the white areas over southern Scotland and northern England/Peak District, as well as the 200-250mm in central-eastern Scotland.

BBC

BreakingBody found after woman swept into Angus river

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

Officers were called to the Water of Lee at Glen Esk at about 13:45 and the body was found at 16:00.

A spokesperson added: "There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.”

Recent red weather warnings

Matt Taylor

BBC Weather

The Met Office red warning for heavy rain will remain in force until noon on Friday.

Red warnings are rare and are only issued under the most severe weather conditions and impacts.

2022

• A red alert was last issued issued in the UK in February 2022, when Storm Eunice brought strong winds across parts of east and south-east England and south Wales.
• Later in the year, most of central and southern England issued a red alert for extreme heat as temperatures reached a record 40C.

2021

• Strong winds associated with Storm Arwen sparked a red weather warning across much of eastern Scotland and north-east England.

2020

• The last time a red alert was issued for rain was in 2020, when Storm Dennis brought downpours to parts of south Wales.

BBC

Brechin resident: 'I won't be leaving'

PA Media

John Stewart

John Stewart, 82, says he will not leave his home in Brechin despite the flood warning.

Residents in homes like his, on River Street next to the River South Esk, have been told to evacuate.

But he tells PA: "I won't be leaving because my wife won't go."

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

He says the wall successfully stopped water from getting in from the street the last time there was severe flooding.

What weather warnings are in place?

As several places around the UK brace for Storm Babet, which is already causing chaos, let's look at what warnings are in place:

Red

• A rare red warning for rainfall is in place across eastern Scotland from 18:00 BST until midday tomorrow
• People can expect a danger to life from floodwater and extensive damage
• It begins above Perth, with parts of Dundee included, and extends to Stonehaven

Amber

• There are two amber warnings in place for rain - one covers from Stirling up to Aberdeenshire on the east of Scotland. The other stretches across parts of the Highlands
• The east coast of Scotland faces an amber warning for wind which will bring huge waves and potentially power cuts

Yellow

• A large yellow wind warning runs all the way from the Perthshire up to Shetland
• Two yellow rain warnings are in place - one in the Borders up to Banff along the east coast, and the other over the Highlands

For more information and to keep up to date with the warnings, go to the Met Office website.

Large waves crash against boat in the North Sea

WATCH: Waves crash against boat heading for Scrabster

The effects of Storm Babet are already being felt in the North Sea.

The video above is from a boat which is heading for Scrabster on Caithnesson the north coast of Scotland.

'It's going to be a rough night'

James Cook

Scotland Editor, BBC News

What happens if your house is directly alongside a river that is about to burst its banks?

Len Duncan lives in Tannadice in Angus – inside the red severe weather zone – and near to Brechin where many homes are being evacuated.

Although his house run alongside the South Esk river, he’s not been told to move out.

He has faced flooding before - back in 2015 - but today he’s only heard from the local council by phone to discuss sandbags.

“We have put in defences since then,” he tells me but adds “We’re going to have a rough night.”

BBC

Len Duncan

BBC

A small river next to Len Duncan's house

'We'll provide any support that is required'

Drivetime asked the deputy first minister what support the councils are being provided.

"We'll provide any support that is required," says Shona Robison.

"At the moment mutual aid has been provided to those local authorities who are most impacted."

The Scottish government will support local authorities through the resilience planning that it has, she says.

Ms Robison says Angus Council were short of sandbags, so other local authorities have stepped up and helped out.

She warns we are only at the start of this weather event and Police Scotland and Transport Scotland will provide updates in the coming hours.