Shona Robison tells Radio Scotland's Drivetime a major incident has been declared across Tayside and in the Brechin area.

The deputy first minister says 335 households in Brechin have been advised to evacuate and three rest areas have been created in the area.

"We would really want people to heed that advice," says Ms Robison

The emergency services and resilience agencies are going door to door to make sure people are told if their areas are affected.

The danger is the flood defence in Brechin will be breached later on this evening, she warns and she says vulnerable people will be put up in hotels overnight.

Deputy First Minister Shona Robison has been inside an emergency meeting with agencies best placed to tackle the extreme weather and she tells Radio Scotland's Drivetime it's a very serious situation.

She says: "Red warnings are not often issued by the Met Office, so it's very important that people pay attention to those.

"Police warnings have been issued to avoid travel on the roads, the high risk of disruption remains in places affected by the red and amber warnings."

People should check in with the social media of Police Scotland or Transport Scotland to see if they fall within the red or amber warning areas, says the minister.

The minister warns that people should not travel in those areas which began just a moment ago at 18:00.

It's just gone 18:00, which means the red warning for rainfall in areas of eastern Scotland has now come into force.

A reminder, this rare alert from the Met Office means there is a danger to life from the severe weather.

If you’re just joining us, there's not long to go until the red weather warning covering areas of Aberdeenshire comes in to force at 18:00.

Here's a quick roundup of the main developments so far today:

• In Brechin, hundreds of people are being evacuated as exceptional rainfall threatens to breach flood defences in the town
• Angus Council says residents in about 400 homes are being told to leave
• A red severe weather alert – which warns of risk to life- has been extended to more areas of Scotland including Perth and Kinross, Dundee, Angus and south Aberdeenshire
• Water levels in the River South Esk are expected to reach the top of flood defences at about 21:00 and will continue to rise during the night
• Travel has been severely hit with police advising against travel in the red alert area and to avoid it in areas covered by amber warnings.
• The Forth Road Bridge is closed, trains have been cancelled across Scotland, and more than half of CalMac’s ferry routes have also been cancelled
• Schools and businesses have been closed, sandbags laid and floodgates closed as people try to get ready for the main impact of the storm
• Powerlines are a particular concern, although disruption to electricity supply appears to be limited at the moment
• The impact of the storm has also been felt right across the UK - with storm damage being felt from Devon to Newcastle

Image source, PA Media

Angus Council has said water levels in the River South Esk are expected to reach the top of flood defences at about 21:00 and will continue to rise during the night.

"We don’t know what is likely to happen in terms of that overtopping," Jacqui Semple, who is charge of risk, resilience and safety for the council, tells reporters in a briefing earlier.

The council official warns the wind direction is forecast to be different from previous flooding events, forcing the water down different routes.

Semple adds that anti-flood water pumps had been "triple-checked" and are working.

However, she says it is difficult predict how long people will be out of their homes, adding: "We are planning for the worst-case scenario that we see properties flooded."

Amid reports that some people in flood-threatened areas had not been contacted about evacuation, Semple says she understands frustration but that the council is taking a "risk-based approach" - with the most vulnerable residents helped first.

It's a very busy day for our colleagues at Radio Scotland Drivetime, with Deputy First Minister Shona Robison due to come on air in a moment for an update on the latest situation.

You can listen along by just clicking on Drivetime at the top of this live page.

We'll also bring you all the top lines from the minister's interview shortly after 17:30.

Police Scotland have advised people to avoid all travel to areas of Aberdeenshire covered by the red weather warning, external, which will come into force at 18:00 and last until midday tomorrow.

Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston emphasises "driving conditions will be extremely dangerous" and disruption is expected in the worst-hit areas.

He says people should also be aware of the risk of travel in areas covered by amber weather warnings for rain and wind, which are particularly risky for high-sided vehicles.

Stein Connelly of Transport Scotland, echoes this advice and describes the impact of Storm Babet as a "rapidly moving situation":

Image source, John Welkin/BBC Weather Watchers

Residents in parts of the Borders covered by an amber rain warning are being urged to prepare for the worst of Storm Babet's impact tomorrow.

The alert comes into place at 12:00 on Friday and runs until 06:00 on Saturday.

It covers much of the central and eastern Scottish Borders, including Galashiels, Kelso, Lauder, Duns and Cockburnspath.

The main risk of river flooding is expected to be associated with the Whiteadder, Blackadder, Leader and Eye Water.

Flood barriers have been deployed in Eyemouth and are expected to stay in place for some time.

Louise Hosie
BBC Scotland reporter in Arbroath

The streets in Brechin are empty as Storm Babet takes hold.

There’s such concern here that the council has ordered 335 homes to be evacuated, due to the worryingly high levels of the River South Esk.

A severe flood warning is also in place.

Residents we’ve spoken to who live alongside the riverbank say they’re waiting to hear about the evacuation. Many have been trying to safeguard their homes with sandbags and other flood defences.

One woman told us she’d spent this morning moving her furniture upstairs.

The rain here feels relentless - it’s been heavy and steady since this morning and at times it’s almost horizontal.

The people of Brechin are not strangers to flooding, but with an evacuation order already in place before the red weather warning even comes into force, there’s no doubt there are real fears about what the coming hours will bring.

Image source, Fife Zoo

Several attractions are closing their doors to visitors, as Scotland prepares for the brunt of Storm Babet.

The storm is expected to cause extensive flooding on Thursday and Friday, with officials warning the severe conditions could be a risk to life.

Here's a look at some of the sites that have shut:

• Dundee's V&A Museum will be closed until Saturday morning
• Camperdown Wildlife Centre, Mills Observatory, and Broughty Castle Museum
• St Andrew's Cathedral, Arbroath Abbey, Doune Castle, Blackness Castle, Inchcolm Abbey and New Abbey Corn Mill
• Cairngorm Mountain Resort will be closed today and tomorrow
• Fife Zoo will close on Friday. The zoo said all its animals will be brought to "specially designed indoor accommodation"

Image source, PA

As residents of Brechin prepare for the start of the red rain alert with around 400 homes being evacuated, Radio Scotland's Drivetime heard from a business in the town.

Georgie Tebbit, who works at The Crofts Veterinary Centre in Brechin, says she had to walk to work due to trees down outside her home.

She warns: "We'll probably get evacuated later on in the evening."

Georgie says the elderly are the priority and everyone is putting down sandbags to try and wait it out.

She reminds people in the worst affected areas that they should keep their pets safe inside.

You can listen to the latest on Drivetime with us by clicking on the link at the top of this page.

Phil Macdonald and Ken Banks
BBC Scotland News in Stonehaven

At the sea front in Stonehaven, the owner of the Molly's cafe bar Janice Langdon tried to open this morning but within five minutes realised it was just too difficult.

The cafe is just a few yards away from the sea and already shingle is strewn along the road outside.

Janice has experienced flooding before and has sandbags down and a floodgate which she uses to keep the water out of her property.

"Fingers crossed we'll be all right," she tells me.

Stonehaven has endured its share of serious flooding over the years.

However, residents hope a new flood prevention scheme will help prevent a repeat.

Many homes and businesses have sandbags in place along a virtually deserted seafront.

With parts of Scotland set to face a red weather warning for rain tonight, Aberdeenshire Council have postponed all funerals until at least Monday next week.

Council staff said the conditions are "neither safe for mourners or staff".

They have also closed leisure centres, recycling centres and vaccination centres across the area.

As we reported earlier, more than 300 homes in the town of Brechin, Scotland, were given the order to evacuate.

Angus Council has now said more than 400 homes will need to be abandoned across the council area as Storm Babet continues to gain strength.

People living in the villages of Tannadice and Finavon are included in new instructions.

Angus Council said it has a limited supply of sandbags for residents and is prioritising those who are most vulnerable.

Sandbags are limited to 20 per resident while stocks last.

Image source, Getty Images

So just how bad is the rain caused by Storm Babet?

According to the Met Office, external Storm Babet could bring up to 200-220mm of rain in some areas of eastern Scotland, a volume close to the highest ever 24-hour total for a "rainfall day".

Some 238mm of rain was measured at Sloy Main Adit in Argyll & Bute between 09:00 on 17 January 1974 and 9am the following day.

This is the highest total on record in Scotland for what the Met Office calls a "rainfall day" - the 24 hours from 09:00 to 09:00.

The highest equivalent total recorded in England is 279mm, on 18 July 1955 at Martinstown in Dorset, while the highest in Wales is 211mm, on 11 November 1929 at Lluest Wen Reservoir in Mid Glamorgan.

The highest in Northern Ireland is 159mm, recorded on 31 October 1968 at Tollymore Forest in County Down.

The highest total for any 24-hour period in the UK is 341.4mm, recorded from 18:00 on 4 December 2015 to 18:00 the following day at Honister Pass in Cumbria.

As we have been reporting, Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire has been the scene of some of the most dramatic Storm Babet activity so far.

Massive waves have been crashing over the harbour walls, with local residents being warned to stay well back from the danger.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Michael Hunter
Reporting from Brechin

Image source, PA Media

The rain and wind is heavy and persistent here in Brechin.

But there’s no sense of panic just yet in the area of the town where many homes are set to receive evacuation orders from Angus Council.

We’ve spoken to a handful of residents still in their homes in and around River Street. They say they’re awaiting orders from the authorities.

Locals who’ve seen this area alongside the River South Esk flooded many times over they years told us they expect the banks to burst at about 17:00.

There’s still plenty of traffic on the roads. And even a few hardy souls out walking.

Though things could look very different here come 18:00, when that rare red weather warning comes into force.

Angus Council has opened rest centres for people who need shelter as Storm Babet looms closer.

They opened at 15:00 BST at Brechin Community Campus, Montrose Sports Centre and Forfar Community Campus.

Angus Council asked users to bring their own sleeping bags, pillows, blankets and medication they may need.

Earlier, we brought you images from storm-lashed Peterhead harbour - and this is the scene about 50 miles down the Aberdeenshire coast in Stonehaven.

Ken Banks
BBC Scotland North East and Northern Isles reporter

The town of Stonehaven in north east Scotland is right in the path of the storm.

Residents are using flood gates as well as sandbags in a bid to protect their homes and businesses.

“This has been flooded twice many years ago,” Moira Riddoch told me at her home near the Aberdeenshire town’s harbour as we were battered by the wind and rain.

“I’ve one (flood gate) on the front and one on the back.

“It is what it is.

“With the new flood prevention stuff in the town hopefully we will be fine.”