Body found after man trapped in car in floodwater during Storm Babet

Tara CobhamOctober 23, 2023 at 7:24 PM

A body has been found by police after reports a man was trapped in a vehicle in floodwater during Storm Babet[1] in Aberdeenshire. Officers carrying out searches recovered the body of a man and a vehicle on Monday afternoon following reports the man was trapped near Marykirk on Friday. Police Scotland[2] said that formal identification is still to take place, however next of kin have been informed[3].

Residents walk through flood water in Retford in Nottinghamshire, after Storm Babet battered the UK (PA)

It brings the death toll from Storm Babet, which barrelled into the UK last week, to at least eight.

It comes after a fresh weather warning for rain was issued covering a vast swathe of England already hit by flooding as a result of Storm Babet. The Met Office issued the yellow warning for Tuesday which could lead to further flooding in the East Midlands, including Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, as well as much of Yorkshire, including Sheffield, Leeds and York, and Humberside.

Flooding at St Leonard's Riding School and Livery Stable in Toton, Nottinghamshire (PA)

Hundreds of people have been left homeless, with about 1,250 properties in England flooded, the Environment Agency (EA) said. An estimated 30,000 properties have needed protection against rising water levels, the EA added.

The latest warning comes as a 56-year-old driver, who died when a tree fell on his van near Forfar in Angus on Thursday, was named by police as John Gillan, from Arbroath. In a statement released through Police Scotland, his "devastated" family said: "John was a loving husband to Gaynor, dad to Marc, father-in-law to Natasha, and granddad to Reygan and Finley. He was also a loving son to John and Moira, brother to Wendy and a loving uncle, son-in-law and brother-in-law.

John will be deeply missed by us all."

A local authority worker collecting damaged furniture from outside a property in Chesterfield following the storm (PA)

A total of 13 areas broke their daily rainfall records for October last week, including sites in Suffolk, South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Wiltshire, Kincardineshire, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Northumberland, Derbyshire and Humberside, the Met Office said. By Monday afternoon, 107 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, had been issued, along with 111 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible. Others who died during the storm included 83-year-old Maureen Gilbert, who was found dead in her flooded home in Tapton Terrace, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, on Saturday morning.

John Gillan, 56, from Arbroath, a man who died after a tree struck his van near Forfar, Angus, during Storm Babet (Supplied)

Mrs Gilbert's neighbours said 5ft of water had engulfed the inside of their properties "within minutes" of the River Rother bursting its banks.

Asked if flood defences were adequate, Ms Calder said the EA has been "working around the clock with its partners to help reduce this risk". She added: "We've put barriers up to help protect communities as well as employing pumps in key locations." Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf visited Brechin, Angus, on Monday morning, where the storm hit hardest, with the River South Esk bursting its banks and flooding dozens of homes.

Maureen Gilbert, who was found dead in her flooded home, with husband Jack Gilbert on their wedding day, 1975 (Courtesy Gilbert family / SWNS)

During the visit, Mr Yousaf said there will be a "long road to recovery" for those impacted by Storm Babet.

He said the local council would receive the funding it needs to recover. But he warned that any clean-up after the flooding would likely take time. Another life claimed by the storm is a woman who has now been named as Wendy Taylor, 57.

She died after being swept into the Water of Lee, Glen Esk, on Thursday.

Wendy Taylor, 57, has been confirmed to have passed away as a result Storm Babet (Police Scotland/PA)

Mrs Taylor, who was described as "the beloved wife, best friend and soulmate in life to George, mother to James, Sally and Susanna and Granny to India and George", was said to be "a ray of sunshine for everyone who was fortunate enough to know her" in a tribute issued through Police Scotland. Two women died after a five-vehicle crash on the M4 on Friday morning which is believed to have been weather-related. Four cars and an HGV were involved in the crash on the eastbound carriageway between junction 17 for Chippenham and junction 18 for Bath.

A man pulls a boy on a bodyboard through floodwater (Getty)

A teenage driver was also killed in separate crash hours later after hitting a wall in a West Yorkshire village on Friday, with The Sun reporting the weather conditions were a factor in the incident.

A man in his 60s died after getting caught in fast-flowing floodwater in the town of Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, on Friday. Anna Calder, spokeswoman for the EA, said significant river flooding impacts will continue for parts of the Midlands until Friday, with minor impacts continuing in parts of the Midlands and the north-east of England until Wednesday.

Locals use a homemade boat to rescue elderly residents from their homes in the village of Debenham, Suffolk, on Friday (PA)

Significant river flooding is also possible but not expected in parts of England on Tuesday and Wednesday, with minor impacts possible more widely, due to further heavy rainfall falling on sensitive catchments. The Met Office warning, which is in place for between 3am and 4pm on Tuesday, stated: "There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to some buildings.

There is a small chance of fast-flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life.

There is a small chance that some communities will become cut off by flooded roads."

References

1. ^ floodwater during Storm Babet (www.independent.co.uk)
2. ^ Police Scotland (www.independent.co.uk)
3. ^ next of kin have been informed (www.independent.co.uk)