Summary

  • Storm Babet continues to batter parts of the UK, with high winds, torrential rain and severe flooding

  • Three people have died and a man remains missing in Aberdeenshire

  • The victims are a man in his 60s, caught in flood water in Shropshire; a 56-year-old driver, whose van was hit by a falling tree in Angus; and a woman, 57, swept into a river in Angus

  • Rail firm LNER has said passengers should not travel due to widespread flooding; three danger-to-life flood warnings have been issued around the River Derwent in Derbyshire

  • A further red weather warning - meaning there is a risk to life - has been issued for Saturday, covering parts of Angus and Aberdeenshire

  • Amber and yellow warnings are in place in parts of the far north east of Scotland and England, as well as Aberdeenshire, Perthshire and the Scottish Borders

  • The coastguard sent two helicopters to a drilling platform in the North Sea after anchors became detached - all people on board are accounted for

  1. What to do if you're in a flood-risk area?published at 07:04 British Summer Time 21 October 2023

    flood

    The Scottish government has issued advice on how to prepare If you’re in an area where there’s a risk of flooding.

    Some things you should do to get ready:

    • Prepare a flood plan and a family emergency kit filled with essential supplies
    • Keep an easily accessible list of useful contact numbers, including your insurance company and utility providers
    • Charge your mobile phone
    • Move vehicles out of the flood risk area
    • Move important documents and valuable items to a higher place
    • Shut off gas, electricity and water supplies
    • Fit any flood protection products you have

    The full list of guidance is available on the Ready Scotland website, external.

  2. Flooded area in Brechin is 'scene of carnage'published at 06:45 British Summer Time 21 October 2023

    Ben Philip
    BBC Scotland

    Brechin
    Image caption,

    Police have blocked off access to badly-affected areas of Brechin

    Here in Brechin it’s been 24 hours since the River Esk burst its banks causing widespread flooding in the area.

    Storm Babet’s relentless rain continued overnight and into this morning. This morning, police aren’t allowing us to film close to the river for our safety.

    One officer described the flooded area as a “scene of carnage” with part of the flood defence apparently being washed away.

    A new red weather warning for Angus and Aberdeenshire came into effect at midnight.

    It’s expected to rain all day today and that warning is in place until midnight.

  3. What has happened so far?published at 06:32 British Summer Time 21 October 2023

    We’ll be bringing you all the latest developments as Storm Babet enters its third day.

    Here’s a reminder of what’s happened so far:

    • Three people in the UK are known to have died as the storm swept across the country, causing widespread flooding and high winds.
    • A man in his 60s died after getting caught in fast-flowing flood water in the town of Cleobury Mortimer in Shropshire on Friday.
    • Police Scotland previously said a falling tree hit a van near Forfar in Angus on Thursday evening, killing the 56-year-old driver.
    • A 57-year-old woman also died on Thursday after being swept into a river in the region.
    • A man is still missing in Aberdeenshire, after reports that he had been trapped in a vehicle by flood water near Marykirk at 03:00 on Friday morning.
    • The second named storm of the season also forced a passenger plane to skid off a runway at Leeds Bradford Airport. No one was injured.
    • Dozens of people – across Angus, Aberdeenshire and Suffolk – are spending the night in emergency accommodation.
    • And, across the UK, around 13,000 households were without power through the night.
    • Humza Yousaf, Scotland’s first minister, warned the public not to travel in the red zone, with a new red weather warning beginning at midnight and continuing throughout the day. The warning covers the north east of Scotland.
  4. Good morningpublished at 06:32 British Summer Time 21 October 2023

    floodImage source, PA Media

    Good morning. Thanks for joining us on the live page.

    We are about to begin our third day of coverage on Storm Babet, which has been battering the UK since Thursday.

    There’s a number of weather warnings covering the UK today – including red weather warning covering the north east of Scotland all day.

    You can check which warnings are in place where you are on the Met Office website, external.

    Stay safe today, and remember to stick to the safety advice if you are under a weather warning.