Storm Babet – live: Second rare red alert and hundreds of flood warnings as ‘worst is yet to come’

Residents were airlifted to safety as emergency services evacuated scores of homes in east Scotland due to flooding caused by Storm Babet[1]. Jacqui Semple, head of risk, resilience and safety for Angus Council, said people were rescued from between 80 to 100 homes across the region. In Bridge of Dun, residents were airlifted out via helicopter, while in other areas those stranded were rescued by boats, including canoes.

Earlier, a second rare red weather alert for rain and hundreds of flood warnings[2] were put in place across England and Scotland as the storm continued to wreak havoc across the country, having already claimed the lives of three people. The Met Office has warned of “danger to life” from fast-flowing water and floods in the worst affected areas, where up to 100mm (4in) could fall in 24 hours. The red alert, in place until 6pm on Saturday has been issued for Scotland’s Grampian and Central, Tayside & Fife regions.

Key Points

• Residents airlifted to safety in east Scotland

• Hundreds of flood warnings in place

• Storm claims third life, this time in Shropshire

Pinned post: People airlifted out of homes in Angus

14:01 , Matt Mathers

People in up to 100 homes across Angus in East Scotland have been rescued from their flooded homes, with some airlifted out, a local authority official has said. Jacqui Semple, head of risk, resilience and safety for Angus Council, said people were rescued from between 80 to 100 homes across the region. In Bridge of Dun, residents were airlifted out via helicopter, while in other areas those stranded were rescued by boats, including canoes.

No-one is now thought to be stranded. Ms Semple praised the response from those in Angus and elsewhere, saying offers of accommodation have come from the local area and further afield. She said: “Fortunately the Met Office update and our Sepa update this morning is showing that we have an improving picture and the red warnings and our amber warnings they have been reduced in timescales to 6pm.

Story continues “So that means we are looking at definite improvements in our river levels. “We’re not out of the woods by a long shot.

There’s still a lot of rain to come through, but less so, and there is still a lot of water lying right across Angus. Lots of water in the upper catchments that will still have to come down into our rivers.”

Water levels in River Derwent, Derby highest ever recorded – council

17:02 , Matt Mathers Derby City Council said they are experiencing the highest recorded water levels of the River Derwent as roads were flooded across the city.

The council said in a statement: “It’s been a really challenging night for our crews, and emergency services across the city, and the picture in Derby remains challenging today with floodwater still affecting a lot of roads around the city. “A Severe Flood Warning is in place for some areas of the city. The last time this kind of warning was issued was 10 years ago and is often related to coastal flooding, which indicates that this remains a serious situation.

“Our teams have worked tirelessly overnight, but we are expecting a second peak later this afternoon, so we aren’t out of the woods yet, and there is still a lot of work to do. “We know that the river levels are likely to remain high for a number of hours, and will then go down very slowly.” The council said cleaning up after the floods and reopening roads and footways may take several days.

Residents bid to shore up flood-hit town amid Storm Babet

16:44 , Matt Mathers

Sandbags have been placed along a breached river wall in Brechin to try to prevent another deluge after the town was hit by “devastating” flooding from Storm Babet. River Street and nearby areas in the town were inundated with water when the adjacent River South Esk burst its banks in the early hours of Friday. The water had receded on Saturday, but the area was still at risk of flooding amid a second red weather warning for heavy rain in Angus.

The street was left strewn with debris and covered in silt on Saturday, with many homes damaged by water in the lower floors. Almost all residents had left after being advised to evacuate or were rescued by emergency workers. Many were sheltering in rest centres set up in the town.

Couple ‘furstrated’ after as flight home delayed and diverted

16:20 , Matt Mathers

A couple’s flight home from Cyprus was delayed and diverted in an “intensely frustrating” ordeal after a plane skidded off a runway at Leeds Bradford Airport. Phil Casey, golf correspondent at PA Media, and his partner Ann Meredith, 51, were due to fly from Larnaca International Airport to Leeds at 11.20pm local time on Friday. Their plans were disrupted after heavy winds forced a Tui flight to skid off a runway, causing the Leeds travel hub’s temporary closure.

Mr Casey, 49, of Leeds, said: “Obviously it’s intensely frustrating but at the same time you realise it’s out of the control of the airlines, so we had a certain amount of sympathy. “And then yeah, to make matters slightly worse at one point they put up that the gate was opening in five minutes. And then five minutes later when I went to check again it said ‘gate now opening in 195 minutes’, so obviously slight difference.

“So yeah, obviously we were then concerned about getting back from Manchester.”

Scale of Storm Babet flooding in Scottish countryside captured in aerial footage

16:06 , Tara Cobham Aerial footage shared by Britain’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency shows the scale of Storm Babet flooding in the Scottish countryside. “Communities across the UK have been badly hit by Storm Babet.

This was the result in Scotland,” the coastguard wrote, sharing the footage on social media, urging residents to stay safe. People in up to 100 homes across Angus, East Scotland, have been rescued from flooded buildings, with some airlifted out, a local authority official has said. In Bridge of Dun, residents were airlifted out via helicopter, while in other areas those stranded were rescued by boats, including canoes.

Oliver Browning reports:

Scale of Storm Babet flooding in Scottish countryside captured in aerial footage[3]

Rainbow glows over pier as Storm Babet hits Aberdeen coast

16:00 , Tara Cobham A rainbow was seen glowing over South Breakwater pier on Friday 20 October as Storm Babet hit the Aberdeen coast. The impressive footage was captured by Natalie Hood and shows rough waves smashing into the pier as the rainbow lights up the grey clouds behind.

Scotland is suffering severe flooding as a result of the storm, with timelapse footage showing the River North Esk bursting its banks. The Met Office has issued a second red weather warning, which is now in place for Saturday for parts of eastern Scotland where a further 70-100 mm of rain could be seen. Oliver Browning reports:

Rainbow glows over pier as Storm Babet hits Aberdeen coast[4]

London’s King’s Cross station closed due to overcrowding

15:50 , Matt Mathers

London’s King’s Cross station has been forced to close due to overcrowding as passengers were warned not to travel by rail. Network Rail said crowd control measures had been put in place at King’s Cross due to disruption to LNER services. In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, Network Rail said: “King’s Cross Station is currently closed to manage passenger numbers on the concourse and on platforms.

“Storm Babet has brought severe disruption to the rail network and our teams are working hard to get passengers safely on the move.”

Major rivers could be flooded until Tuesday, Environment Agency warns

15:36 , Tara Cobham The Environment Agency has warned that flooding from major rivers could continue until Tuesday, amid widespread disruption caused by Storm Babet which is posing a “risk to life” in some areas. The Environment Agency (EA) said three severe flood warnings were in place around the River Derwent in Derbyshire, meaning deep and fast-flowing water carries a significant risk of death or serious injury, as well as serious disruption to local communities.

Katharine Smith, EA flood duty manager, said: “Following persistent, heavy rain from Storm Babet, severe river flooding impacts are probable in parts of the East Midlands and South Yorkshire today and into Sunday. “Severe river flooding impacts are occurring on the River Derwent in Derby, where we have issued severe flood warnings, and significant impacts are also possible elsewhere across the Midlands and parts of northern England today. “Ongoing flooding is probable on some larger rivers including the Severn, Ouse and Trent through to Tuesday.”

Leeds Bradford airport reopens – 24 hours after plane skids off runway

14:39 , Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent

Twenty-four hours after a Tui plane skidded off the runway at Leeds Bradford airport, take-offs and landing are resuming. The first flight out on Saturday took off at 2.17pm. It was a Jet2 flight to Heraklion, which was supposed to depart at 6am.

Four minutes later, another Jet2 aircraft took off for Alicante. Operations were halted around 2pm on Friday when the Boeing 737 Max made a “runway excursion” after a normal flight from Corfu. No one was hurt in the incident, but the closure of the runway triggered dozens of cancellations, diversions and delays – affecting thousands of passengers at the start of the main half-term week.

The latest Tui statement was issued at 9.30am. It reads: “We would like to apologise to all those impacted by the ongoing closure of Leeds Bradford airport following an incident that took place shortly after landing on TOM3551 on Friday 20 October. “The safety of our customers and crew is our number one priority and can confirm there were no reported injuries, with all passengers disembarking the aircraft via the steps.

“Tui customers due to travel on their holiday today will depart from Manchester Airport and have been contacted directly by our customer service team. “Tui Airways is assisting the AAIB [Air Accidents Investigation Branch] with their investigation and working hard to support the reopening of Leeds Bradford airport.”

King’s Cross Station closed as Storm Babet causes disruption

14:38 , Tara Cobham King’s Cross Station in London is currently closed, as crowd control measures are in place because of heavy disruption on the railways in the North East, Network Rail has said.

A spokesperson said: “While many of the country’s rail services are running well today, we’re sorry to say that there is still severe disruption in areas worst-hit by Storm Babet, including Scotland, the North East and East Midlands. “In particular, King’s Cross station has crowd-control measures in place this afternoon while LNER services to the North East are severely disrupted. We are asking people to check before they travel today, to avoid wasted journeys.”

Footage shared on social media appeared to show large crowds gathering outside the station early on Saturday afternoon.

Three ‘danger to life’ flood warnings issued in Derbyshire

13:05 , Matt Mathers Three “danger to life” flood warnings have been issued in Derbyshire, where an MP says around 400 homes have already been flooded. The warnings are in place around the River Derwent in Derbyshire, whose water levels have reached record highs.

The alerts are for Derby City Water Treatment Works, Little Chester, Eastgate and Cattle Market, and Racecourse Park at Chaddesden.

Rail chaos across northern England

12:50 , Matt Mathers Storm Babet has been causing travel disruption as well as flooding. Simon Calder, The Independent’s travel expert, reports:

LNER, the main train operator on the East Coast main line linking London with Yorkshire, northeast England and Scotland, is urging travellers: “Please do NOT travel today. “Following extensive disruption on Friday 20 October, crews and trains are displaced across the country and services today are subjec to short-notice cancellation. “Many rail routes are suspended due to flooding and an extremely limited service is in operation.

“We also expect services to be disrupted throughout Sunday 22 October. “Your LNER ticket will be valid for travel between Monday 23 October and Friday 27 October.” Many rail lines in northern England are closed because of flooding, including Harrogate to Leeds, Leeds to Skipton, Sheffield to Lincoln, Doncaster to Leeds and Doncaster to Sheffield and Rotherham.

Between Hexham and Carlisle, a tree is blocking the railway.

Liverpool and England footballer Trent Alexander-Arnold in minor car crash

12:33 , Matt Mathers England footballer Trent Alexander-Arnold was involved in a minor car crash after a pylon was blown over in strong winds. The Liverpool defender’s Range Rover collided with a car after the 40-foot pylon fell into a country lane near Knutsford, Cheshire, on Friday morning, The Sun reported.

Cheshire Police said no-one was hurt in the incident; which came as Storm Babet swept across the country – causing widespread flooding and high winds, killing three people.

Emergency crews rescue 20 people from care home trapped by floods

12:15 , Matt Mathers Emergency crews have had to rescue 20 people from a care home in Derbyshire as cars were submerged in flood water in the county, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue have said. More than 100 people had to be rescued in Derbyshire on Friday and the service declared a major incident due to the impact of Storm Babet.

Clive Stanbrook, area manager at Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, warned flood waters could continue to rise near Derby and across south Derbyshire on Saturday. Mr Stanbrook told BBC Breakfast: “We rescued over 100 people yesterday. For example, just on one road in Chesterfield in the north of the county, we rescued 60 people when that (water level) became up to the top of cars and several HGVs were stuck as well.

“There is a village called Duffield in Derbyshire and we rescued 20 people from one care home there. “Also there were 18 houses that were evacuated in a village called Ironville, again in the north of the county.”

Recap: What is fuelling Storm Babet?

11:50 , Matt Mathers Experts say Babet is an “extraordinary” storm which has been fuelled by several factors, including the impact of a typhoon on jet stream and rising temperatures.

“Storm Babet is an extraordinary piece of weather caused by the interaction of a number of linked conditions across the world,” Dr Hannah Cloke, professor of hydrology at the University of Reading, said. “The jet stream, which plays such an important role in the weather in Europe, has been squeezed into a weird position, partly as a result of a powerful typhoon that hit Japan last week.” Stuti Mishra has more below:

What is fueling the ‘extraordinary’ Storm Babet?[5]

3 inches of rain falls overnight in Sheffiled

11:35 , Matt Mathers

Three inches of rain fell overnight on Friday in Sheffield, the Met Office has said. Further rain is expected in the area on Saturday as Storm Babet lashed the country with heavy downpours. Pp to 100mm (4in) could fall in 24 hours in some areas of Scotland, where a rare red weather alert is in place.

Friday brought a widely unsettled end to the working week, with heavy rain falling across many areas These are the extremes for 20 October ? pic.twitter.com/1QMBKzsygh[6] — Met Office (@metoffice) October 20, 2023[7]

Follow evacation advice, first minister tells Scots

11:28 , Matt Mathers

People told to evacuate parts of Scotland due to the flood risk from Storm Babet should comply with the advice, the country’s first minister Humza Yousaf has said. Residents in parts of Angus and Aberdeenshire have been advised to evacuate after a rare red warning for rain was issued by authorities. “A Red Weather Warning remains in place for Angus & parts of Aberdeenshire,” Mr Yousaf wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

“Please comply with the advice being given, particularly if you are asked to evacuate, it is for your own safety. We continue to engage with local partners & emergency services to coordinate our response.” A Red Weather Warning remains in place for Angus & parts of Aberdeenshire.

Please comply with the advice being given, particularly if you are asked to evacuate, it is for your own safety. We continue to engage with local partners & emergency services to coordinate our response. https://t.co/k5KafCdU74[8] — Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) October 21, 2023[9]

33,000 were left without power in Scotland

11:18 , Matt Mathers

Some 33,000 people were left without power in Scotland overnight during Storm Babet. As of early this morning, around 1,100 homes remained without electricity, Scottish and Southern Electricity Network said. “We’re making good progress for our customers in response to this very severe storm,” Andy Smith, the firm’s operation director, said.

“The impacts of high winds and flooding mean it’s a challenge to get to all faults quickly and safely. “But we have brought in considerable extra operational capacity to respond to issues that today’s weather may bring, including teams from our contractors and network partners.” We’re making good progress in response to this severe storm.

As of early this morning, we’ve restored power to almost 33,000 customers. Work to reconnect 1,100 more continues over the course of today. We’re doing all we can in very challenging conditions to repair network… pic.twitter.com/K7ypI4xvZw[10]

— Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (@ssencommunity) October 21, 2023[11]

TUI apologises after plane skids off runway

11:15 , Matt Mathers Travel company has apologised after one of its planes skidded off a runway yesterday during the adverse weather conditions. In an updated statement, the firm also confirmed that no one was injured following the incident at Leeds Bradford Airport.

“We would like to apologise to all those impacted by the ongoing closure of Leeds Bradford Airport following an incident that took place shortly after landing on TOM3551 on Friday 19th October,” it said. “The safety of our customers and crew is our number one priority and can confirm there were no reported injuries, with all passengers disembarking the aircraft via the steps.”

400 homes flooded in Derbyshire – local MP

10:50 , Matt Mathers About 400 homes have been flooded in a Derbyshire town, the local MP has said.

Labour’s Toby Perkins said homes and roads in his Chesterfield constituency had been badly hit by heavy rain. “About 400 houses have been flooded, many of the businesses here have lost all their stock and will be closed,” he told the BBC. “I’ve just been into Tramway pub which was knee high in water, has no electricity.

And so last night we had people at the Queen’s Park Sports Centre who didn’t have anywhere to stay. “Many of the people who live in this area are private renters, many of them don’t have flood insurance because you can’t get flood insurance if you’re in an area that’s prone to flooding. “So a lot of the people I was speaking to last night have no idea where they’re going to be living from now.”

Still flooded on Hawthorne Street this morning. River Rother still very close to breaching its banks again in Birdholme this morning and still raining. pic.twitter.com/6Wslvkm9sH[12] — Toby Perkins MP (@tobyperkinsmp) October 21, 2023[13]

Four people trapped on car roof amid Storm Babet floods rescued by Nottingham fire service

10:30 , Matt Mathers

Nottingham Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) helped four people trapped on car roof after floods to safety on Thursday 19 October as Storm Babet[14] engulfed the Midlands[15], Oliver Browning reports. On Friday, an amber weather warning[16] for rain[17] was in place for some parts of northern England[18] including Yorkshire and Manchester[19], as well as some of the Midlands, including Nottingham. Rescues efforts have been extended as three people have died and hundreds of homes have been flooded during Storm Babet.

Via social media platform X, NFRS warned people not to put their lives and those of the fire services at risk by attempting to drive through flood water. Watch part of the rescue effort here:

Four people trapped on car roof amid Storm Babet floods rescued by fire service[20]

Hundreds of flood warnings in place

10:05 , Matt Mathers Hundreds of flood warnings are in place across England and Scotland as Storm Babet brings heavy downpours.

Some 339 red alerts have been issued in parts of England, with residents in the affected areas told “flooding is expected”. Scottish authorities, meanwhile, have issued 19 warnings with alerts for further rain also in force.

Flood barriers being erected in ‘high-risk’ areas

09:47 , Matt Mathers Julie Foley, director of flood strategy and adaptation at the Environment Agency, has said temporary flood barriers are being deployed in high-risk areas.

She told BBC One’s Breakfast programme: “Flooding has devastating impacts for people actually in terms of the impacts on their homes, as well as much longer term impacts actually, that you don’t see afterwards in terms of the mental health impacts. “To offer reassurance, the Environment Agency teams are operating and working really hard around the country, with other emergency providers and with local communities to do our best to keep people safe. “So we’re operating all of our flood barriers using our flood storage areas, we’re deploying temporary barriers to areas at high-risk and we’re making sure our flood defences are operating really well.

“And we’re already seeing the impacts of that in terms of better protecting thousands of properties around the country.”

Over 100 people rescued in Derbyshire, says fire service

09:41 , Tara Cobham Clive Stanbrook, area manager at Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, told BBC Breakfast that more than 100 people had been rescued on Friday, including 20 people from a care home in Duffield. He said: “We declared a major incident at four o’clock yesterday afternoon, that was because of intense rainfall and intense flooding that we expected to get worse as the day went on.

“We had multiple rescues last night. We are expecting the peak in the middle of the county at 4am this morning which will then go further to the south of the county later on this morning into early afternoon. “We rescued over 100 people yesterday.

For example, just on one road in Chesterfield in the north of the county, we rescued 60 people when that (water level) became up to the top of cars and several HGVs were stuck as well. “There is a village called Duffield in Derbyshire and we rescued 20 people from one care home there. “Also there was 18 houses that were evacuated in a village called Ironville, again in the north of the county.”

Leeds Bradford Airport set to reopen at 10am on Saturday

09:03 , Tara Cobham

Leeds Bradford Airport is set to reopen at 10am on Saturday after closing on Friday when high winds forced a passenger plane to skid off a runway. In a statement on its website at 6.15am, the airport said: “The airport remains closed due to an earlier incident. “We expect to reopen at 10am today, however we will continue to post regular updates as this is subject to change.

“We are working collaboratively to resolve this situation and return services safely and as quickly as possible. “We ask passengers to contact their airline to check the status of their flight before travelling to the airport.”

Watch: Clever sheepdog saves ewes stranded on Welsh farm

08:30 , Tara Cobham A sheepdog came to the rescue of three ewes who had been cut off by floodwater as Storm Babet unleashed floods all over the UK.

Llyr Derwydd, 44, a farmer from near Ruthin in Wales, said he had gone to check on his sheep in Flintshire on Friday afternoon (20 October) when he saw three ewes “stranded on this little spot on the field” having been “cut off” by the water. With the water producing dangerous conditions for a rescue, sheepdog Patsy was the heroine of the hour. “I just thought, ‘I’ll see if the dog will go’.

I gave her the command and she swam across,” Mr Derwydd said. “It was quite dangerous because I didn’t know how deep it was. She’s a strong swimmer and she was able to swim across.”

Oliver Browning reports:

Watch: Clever sheepdog saves ewes stranded on Welsh farm as Storm Babet floods UK[21]

In pictures: Storm Babet raging through the UK on Friday

08:10 , Tara Cobham

‘A very wet start to Saturday’, says Met Office

07:47 , Tara Cobham “A very wet start” is how the Met Office has described the beginning of Saturday as Storm Babet continues to batter the UK. The forecaster wrote on X: “A very wet start to Saturday in Scotland and parts of northern England with strong easterly winds.”

“Brighter further showers, although scattered showers continue, particularly in the southeast.” ? A very wet start to Saturday in Scotland and parts of northern England with strong easterly winds

? Brighter further showers, although scattered showers continue, particularly in the southeast ?

Stay #WeatherAware pic.twitter.com/6OB1VcIQhO[22][23] — Met Office (@metoffice) October 20, 2023[24]

Storm Babet shows no signs of abating on Saturday

07:30 , Tara Cobham Storm Babet shows no signs of abating as downpours continue to batter the UK on Saturday, with three people dead and another red “danger to life” warning in place.

The rare red weather warning has been issued for parts of eastern Scotland all day, prompting First Minister Humza Yousaf to warn: “We have not seen the last of this.” Yellow and amber warnings for rain that were in place across much of England overnight have expired, however a yellow warning for wind remains in place until 12pm across the north east of England and eastern Scotland. Across England, there were over 353 flood warnings and 248 alerts on Saturday morning, while 55,000 people were left without power on Friday as a result of the storm.

Around 45,000 of those were reconnected to the grid as of the evening, the Energy Networks Association said. Met forecaster Jonathan Vautrey said: “The focus of the rainfall from Saturday shifts back northwards over towards eastern and northern Scotland. “Some parts of those areas have seen about a month and a half’s worth of rain already, but there’s another band that’s forecast to track its way northwards over the course of the night and push its way towards relatively similar areas.

“So there are further red and amber rain warnings in force for Saturday, with the potential to push those areas close towards two months of rain in the span of three days.”

Inside the Scottish town evacuated as Storm Babet threatens record rainfall

17:16 , Matt Mathers Hundreds of Scots have been told to evacuate their homes amid warnings Storm Babet could pose a “danger to life”. Residents of 335 homes in Brechin[25], Scotland, were asked to leave for “their own safety” during Storm Babet, which is battering parts of the UK on Thursday[26].

Alexander Butler reports:

Inside the Scottish town evacuated as Storm Babet threatens record rainfall[27]

Dozens in rescue centres in Angus

06:00 , Katy Clifton More than 75 people were in rescue centres in Angus, east Scotland, on Friday night, while Angus Council said people in more than 60 homes in Brechin, who refused previous evacuation attempts, required rescue. Jacqui Semple, head of risk, resilience and safety for Angus Council, said: “People are devastated.

This is awful. “It would be awful. Your house flooded, your belongings, the impact emotionally and physically and everything that goes with that.

“They’ve got all of those people who have been affected arriving at our rest centres in such a state – wet, cold, and just so unbelievably upset.”

Flood warnings

05:00 , Jane Dalton Across England, there were over 283 flood warnings and 243 alerts on Friday evening, while 55,000 people were left without power as a result of the storm. By Friday evening, around 45,000 of those were reconnected to the grid but 10,000 were still without power, the Energy Networks Association said.

Flooding caused 70-minute delays on the A1 near Grantham, National Highways said, while further south, Suffolk declared a major incident on Friday as Storm Badet caused “major flooding” across the county.

Flights cancelled after Tui runway incident

03:00 , Simon Calder The closure of Leeds Bradford airport after a Tui plane veered off the runway caused dozens of delayed, cancelled or diverted flights. More than 2,000 passengers were hit by a total of 34 cancellations, including Ryanair flights to Palma, Malaga and Chania in Crete.

Wizz Air has cancelled flights linking Leeds Bradford with Krakow and Katowice in Poland as well as Bucharest and Cluj in Romania. Travellers whose flights are cancelled are entitled to be flown to their destination as soon as possible, and meanwhile the airline must provide hotels and meals as appropriate. Tui holidaymakers hoping to return from Corfu to Manchester were also affected.

The aircraft involved in the runway excursion was flying what is known as a “W-pattern”. It began in Manchester on Friday morning, with a plan to fly to Corfu, back to Leeds Bradford and out to Corfu again before the return flight to Manchester.

ICYMI: Second person killed in Storm Babet as man dies in horror crash

17:06 , Matt Mathers Storm Babet[28] has claimed a second life[29] after a man died when his van was hit by falling tree[30] in Scotland[31].

The tragedy happened in Angus, eastern Scotland, where a second red “danger to life” warning has been issued by the Met Office for Saturday[32]. The region is already facing[33] high winds, torrential rain and severe flooding. Alex Ross reports:

Three killed in Storm Babet as major incidents declared and villages cut off[34]

ICYMI: Tui plane skids off runway

02:00 , Katy Clifton

A passenger plane at Leeds Bradford Airport had to be evacuated yesterday after it skidded off the runway as it tried to land in high winds. Operator Tui said no one was injured, although the airport was briefly closed. One passenger, Malcolm Fell, said the skid had been “a little bit dramatic” but everyone onboard was “quite calm”.

“‘My wife, [who] was sat next to me, turned to me and said I think you better brace yourself because this is not going to stop. And then all of a sudden…we were at a standstill on the grass,” he told MailOnline.

In pictures: winds and rain

Saturday 21 October 2023 00:00 , Jane Dalton

Roads and bridges collapse

Friday 20 October 2023 22:30 , Jane Dalton Roads and bridges collapsed as Storm Babet hit Scotland.

A 200-year-old bridge on the Rottal Estate in Angus was washed away by torrential flood water, while a road connecting Marykirk, Angus, where some houses were evacuated also collapsed. Dee Ward, 58, estate manager for the Rottal Estate said: “I think this is the new pattern, I don’t think we will go back to normal. “The frightening thing is how much water is coming down in a short space of time.

“I wasn’t surprised the bridge got washed away. “Big posts had been ripped out further up the hill.” Zena Cowie, 28, said a road had collapsed that connected Marykirk with the dual carriageway to Montrose, Angus.

Ms Cowie said: “The road at the start of the bridge that crosses the river has collapsed. “Marykirk is the main way to the dual carriageway to get to the dual carriageway, to go into Montrose. “The other way is to go into Brechin which is also flooded.”

Amber and yellow weather warnings for swathes of UK

Friday 20 October 2023 21:30 , Jane Dalton

An amber weather warning for rain is in place for some parts of northern England including Yorkshire and Manchester, as well as some of the Midlands, including Nottingham. And a yellow weather warning for much of the east coast of the UK has been put in place for wind and rain on Saturday.

‘Considerable risk’ of Aberdeenshire river flooding

Friday 20 October 2023 20:20 , Jane Dalton Aberdeenshire Council warned of “considerable risk of flooding” on the River Don at the weekend.

A spokesperson said: “Latest modelling from Sepa is indicating that there is now a considerable risk of flooding on the River Don at Inverurie, Kemnay and Kintore tomorrow (Sat) between 10am and 2pm. “This has the potential to impact properties in low-lying areas and we would urge residents and businesses to get prepared and take immediate steps to protect their own property from flooding.”

Fallen tree blocks rail line

Friday 20 October 2023 19:50 , Jane Dalton A fallen tree on the Neilston line in Scotland damaged overhead cables.

? Our team at Whitecraigs have advised that it’s not going to be a quick fix. As you can see in these pics, the fallen tree has caused significant damage to our overhead power lines – these carry electricity at 25,000 volts to power trains. @ScotRail pic.twitter.com/1ydT6qWtnF[35][36]

— Network Rail Scotland (@NetworkRailSCOT) October 20, 2023[37]

Major incident declared in Derbyshire as roads closed

Friday 20 October 2023 19:05 , Jane Dalton A major incident has been declared in Derbyshire, prompting advice not travel unless essential until further notice this weekend. Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service wrote: “Most roads in Derbyshire are affected by flooding and many are closed.

“We are calling on our communities to follow the advice below to keep safe: Do not travel unless essential from now until further information is available later in the weekend. “Continue to watch for weather and flooding updates. Look out for vulnerable neighbours, especially if they have care services who may not be able to reach them.

“Never drive or walk into floodwater, even if it appears shallow – it could endanger your life.” “Do not ignore road closed signs,” it added.

Long delays on A1 amid flooding

Friday 20 October 2023 19:00 , Jane Dalton Flooding has caused delays of more than an hour on the A1 near Grantham, National Highways has said.

“Due to extensive flooding in the area, the A1 has reduced capacity both ways between the A46 and B6326 near Grantham. Traffic officers, Nottinghamshire Police and contractors are working to clear the water and get the lanes moving; there are delays of 70 minutes on the approach,” it posted.

Rail lines closed

Friday 20 October 2023 18:45 , Jane Dalton ScotRail routes currently closed are between:

– Aberdeen and Elgin – Edinburgh and Aberdeen via Fife – Perth and Aberdeen via Dundee

– Dunblane and Perth – Perth and Aviemore – Tain and Wick / Thurso

– All Fife Circle services

Storm Babet travel advice – latest

Friday 20 October 2023 18:30 , Jane Dalton For more travel advice, see our sister live blog:

Storm Babet travel advice: Plane skids off runway as drivers issued warning – live[38]

Eight people rescued near Solihull

Friday 20 October 2023 18:10 , Jane Dalton West Midlands Fire Service rescued eight people and a dog after vehicles became stranded in floodwater in the village of Balsall Common, near Solihull.

“Please avoid the area around Balsall Street, Balsall Common,” the service said. “Several people whose vehicles got stuck in the water there have been brought to safety on rafts by our firefighters. “Five men, two women, a child and a dog were ferried from five cars and a van.

No-one was hurt.”

Thousands stranded after Anglo-Scottish trains cancelled mid-journey

Friday 20 October 2023 18:01 , Jane Dalton Large parts of the UK rail network are off-limits to travellers tonight due to severe flooding caused by Storm Babet. And there are warnings that disruption may continue until Sunday.

The flagship East Coast main line, linking London, Yorkshire, northeast England and southern Scotland, is at a near-standstill. LNER, the main operator, said on X: “Severe weather is causing major disruption to train services. Many rail routes are suspended.

Please do NOT travel today. “We have a number of train services currently delayed by this incident and we are working with Network Rail to get these trains moving through the affected area as soon as possible. “Heavy rain flooding the railway between Grantham and Newark North Gate means trains have to run at a severely reduced speed on all lines.

“The additional journey time caused by the slow speeds is reducing the number of trains that can operate through the affected area.” Tickets for travel on 20 October will be valid for travel until 27 October. The line is flooded at Grantham, with many trains to the north and south cancelled.

ScotRail has closed seven routes in eastern Scotland. It says: “Exceptionally wet and windy conditions have severely affected much of the country since Thursday, causing the Met Office to issue a red weather warning alongside a number of amber warnings. “Another 24-hour red weather warning will come into place from midnight tonight in the northeast of the country and elsewhere there will still be very heavy rainfall and gusts of winds exceeding 55 miles per hour until at least Saturday afternoon.”

Rail service disruption could last until Sunday

Friday 20 October 2023 17:45 , Jane Dalton

Disruption to Scotland’s rail services could last until Sunday because of Storm Babet, operator ScotRail has warned. Routes that are currently closed will not re-open unless it is deemed safe to do so. ScotRail said it was taking longer than expected for engineers to inspect routes for damage due to the effect of the weather.

Customers have been warned they should only travel if necessary on routes affected. Services between Glasgow Queen Street and Aberdeen/Inverness, and between Edinburgh Waverley and Aberdeen/Inverness are also subject to disruption. Other routes across the network are having precautionary speed restrictions imposed, so services may be delayed or cancelled.

? ScotRail warns Storm Babet impact likely to continue into Sunday. — ScotRail (@ScotRail) October 20, 2023[39]

Plane overshot runway in storm

Friday 20 October 2023 17:25 , Jane Dalton

A Boeing 737-800 was landing at Leeds Bradford Airport in West Yorkshire when it “overshot the runway”. West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said there were no reported injuries.

Fire crews atten 300 emergencies in two days

Friday 20 October 2023 17:10 , Jane Dalton Scottish fire and rescue crews say they have attended almost 70 emergencies including rescues from homes and floodwaters in one day.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said that since Thursday it had received around 750 emergency calls across Scotland and attended 300 incidents. They have urged members of the public to stay away from floodwaters and to follow evacuation advice. David Lockhart, assistant chief officer at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We are facing unprecedented flooding in many areas, and we must stress to the public that flood waters should always be avoided.

Keep children and pets away from the water and do not travel in or around the affected areas wherever possible. “This is a carefully planned and co-ordinated operation to ensure we are best placed to respond to emergencies and protect the welfare of our crews.”

Man in 60s dies in fast-flowing water

Friday 20 October 2023 17:08 , Jane Dalton A man in his 60s died after getting caught in fast-flowing flood water from a brook that breached a road in Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire on Friday morning, West Mercia Police said.

The force said members of the public reported a man going under the water shortly before 10.40am. Officers from West Mercia Police and Shropshire Fire and Rescue quickly attended but he was found dead at 12.35pm. Formal identification has yet to take place but the family have been informed and are being supported by officers.

Some parts suffer over a month’s rainfall in 36 hours

Friday 20 October 2023 16:45 , Jane Dalton

More than a month’s rainfall has soaked parts of Scotland in the past 36 hours, and further heavy rain is likely at the weekend, say Met Office forecasters. A second red warning is in place for Saturday for parts of eastern Scotland, where a further 70-100mm of rain could fall, with the highest accumulations over the hills. Further rain is also expected more widely across Wales, northern England and the Midlands, and warnings are in place there.

The Met Office said the far north of Scotland and southern areas of the UK would have a mix of sunshine and showers over the coming days. ? Some parts of Scotland have seen over a month’s rainfall in the past 36 hours, with further heavy rain likely into the weekend

Here are the latest totals ? pic.twitter.com/SlIKpQX4ZT[40] — Met Office (@metoffice) October 20, 2023[41]

Man dies in Shropshire floodwater

Friday 20 October 2023 16:43 , Jane Dalton A man has died after getting caught in fast-flowing flood water in the town of Cleobury Mortimer in Shropshire on Friday, West Mercia Police said.

Flooding reaches West Midlands

Friday 20 October 2023 16:25 , Jane Dalton

Parts of central and northern England have also been swamped. An amber weather warning for rain is in place for some of the Midlands, including Nottingham, as well as parts of northern England including Yorkshire and Manchester. This cafe in Telford, Shropshire, was flooded:

Plane skids off runway as it lands in high winds

Friday 20 October 2023 16:02 , Jane Dalton

A Tui Boeing 737 Max skidded off the runway at Leeds Bradford airport[42] while landing in high winds. And on the railways, the entire LNER[43] network has come to an almost total halt because of Storm Babet:

Tui plane skids off runway at Leeds Bradford airport[44]

Homes near Dundee to be evacuated

Friday 20 October 2023 15:50 , Jane Dalton A number of homes in Monifieth, near Dundee, will be evacuated, Angus Council says.

Councillor Lloyd Melville said: “It will be hard for some people to leave their homes but they absolutely need to do so if asked.” He also thanked council staff: “They have been absolutely knocking their pan in (to keep people safe). They are the people who need the thanks.

They are literally saving people’s lives.” Monifieth, right now. Residents should contact their insurers.

Everyone please take care. I’m also in contact with Officers regarding this. pic.twitter.com/8V9M1k05zt[45] — Cllr Lloyd Melville (@LloydAMelville) October 20, 2023[46]

Waves rip top off lighthouse

Friday 20 October 2023 15:35 , Jane Dalton

Giant waves ripped the top off a lighthouse. But with dangerous sea conditions, it is not safe to assess the damage to the lighthouse at South Shields, the Port of Tyne authority said. No traffic was going in and out of the river with six metres of sea swell, it said.

The authority is urging the public to keep away from the area, particularly the piers, because of the unsafe conditions.

Suffolk declares major incident amid flooding

Friday 20 October 2023 15:33 , Jane Dalton Suffolk has declared a major incident as Storm Babet is causing serious flooding. The county council urged residents not to travel unless absolutely necessary.

Jon Lacey, chief fire officer for the county, said: “The continuous heavy rainfall across Suffolk is causing severe flooding in several locations but is also making driving conditions more dangerous for everyone. “We are therefore asking people to travel only where it is absolutely essential – for example collecting a child from school, accessing medical treatment or returning home from work. “Reducing non-essential travel means more people stay safe and pressure on the emergency services is reduced.

“Although the Suffolk Resilience Forum will continue to do all it can to help protect our county, everyone needs to take precautions to ensure they do not put themselves in danger. “We are responding whilst monitoring the situation closely and while the rain is forecast to ease over the weekend, we must all take action to ensure lives are protected.”

Flood waters cut off village, leaving no emergency vehicle access

Friday 20 October 2023 15:11 , Jane Dalton A village in the worst affected region of Scotland has been completely cut off, authorities say.

There is now no emergency access except via helicopter to Edzell, near Brechin, according to Angus Council. Council officials say they are working with a local flood group to provide support and a rest centre has been set up there. Jacqui Semple, the council’s lead for risk, resilience and safety, said people were rescued from flood water at 60 homes in and around Brechin as hundreds of houses in the Angus Council area flooded.

Those rescued had refused previous evacuation efforts, she said. Homes have been evacuated in Monifieth, on the outskirts of Dundee, as well as at Marykirk on the border with Aberdeenshire.

Storm Babet in pictures

Friday 20 October 2023 15:00 , Jane Dalton Storm Babet is wreaking havoc in the north of the UK, with two people dead, hundreds of homes flooded or evacuated and another day of torrential rain to come.

Below you can keep up with the latest pictures from Storm Babet:

Storm Babet in pictures as two dead and town evacuated during red warning downpours [47]

‘People arriving at rest centres wet, cold and unbelievably upset’

Friday 20 October 2023 14:50 , Jane Dalton Jacqui Semple, head of risk, resilience and safety for Angus Council, said more than 75 people were in rest centres across the region after being forced to leave their flooded homes. She said more than 50 were in a rest centre in Brechin, 17 in one in Montrose and nine in one in Forfar.

“People are devastated. This is awful,” she said. “It would be awful.

Your house flooded, your belongings, the impact emotionally and physically and everything that goes with that. “They’ve got all of those people who have been affected arriving at our rest centres in such a state – wet, cold, upset and just so unbelievably upset. “I can’t underestimate the fact that this is not just about the process of evacuating and rescuing.

We’re doing that the try and save people’s lives and sometimes the hard reality is that property becomes a secondary thing but all of us like our personal possessions and things that are precious to us and we need to always never ever forget the human factor in this.”

Cordons widen around flooding

Friday 20 October 2023 14:35 , Jane Dalton Emergency services have started widening a cordoned-off area beside the flooded parts of Brechin as more rescue vehicles arrive and the wind and rain intensify.

More havoc to come on Saturday, say experts

Friday 20 October 2023 14:20 , Jane Dalton Storm Babet is set to continue into tomorrow, Saturday, with widespread effects on transport and infrastructure expected, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) says.

The agency has issued 12 regional flood alerts, 16 localised flood warnings and five severe flood warnings across Scotland. It said there remained a danger to life, with a large part of central and northeast Scotland expecting more severe weather throughout Friday and into Saturday. South Aberdeenshire, Dundee and Angus and the eastern parts of Tayside have had high rainfall.

Sepa said the “highest concern” areas were the North Esk and South Esk river. A severe flood warning in the North Esk region is around Marykirk, with another flood warning for Logie Mill and Craigo. The three severe warnings in the South Esk region are in Brechin, Kinnard/Bridge of Dun, and Finavon and Tannadice.

Sepa also warned there was an increasing risk across the eastern borders of Scotland and in East Lothian.

Homes damaged and roads closed in Dundee

Friday 20 October 2023 14:14 , Jane Dalton Flooding from Storm Babet has led to properties being damaged in Dundee and roads closed around the city. The council has opened a rest centre for those affected by the severe weather.

Dundee City Council said: “Storm Babet is bringing incredibly challenging conditions, particularly in the north and west of the city. “This includes roads disruption, flood damage to properties and fallen trees.” It continued: “Flood gates at Broughty Ferry and Riverside have been closed due to the heavy rain and high winds.

“Sepa has issued a flood alert for Dundee and Angus. “Residents in flood-prone areas are recommended to stock up on their own flood prevention including sandbags or door flood stops from DIY stores and builders’ merchants.”

In pictures: Emergency rescues amid flooding

Friday 20 October 2023 14:02 , Jane Dalton The Coastguard and emergency services helped residents to safety in Brechin as streets turned to rivers:

27,000 Scottish homes lost power

Friday 20 October 2023 14:00 , Athena Stavrou

More than 27,000 homes in Scotland lost power due to Storm Babet, according to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN). The energy provider said as of 11.30am on Friday it had restored services to almost 24,000 homes and is working to reconnect 4,000 other properties which have been cut off. Aberdeenshire, Angus and Perthshire are the main areas affected by power cuts.

Andy Smith, SSEN distribution operations director said: “Storm Babet’s severe effects continue to be felt, but our teams are making good progress. Through our automatic switching systems and the work of our teams on the ground, we have reconnected the majority of our customers who lost their supplies, and that effort continues today. “We have 10 times our usual operational capacity to respond to issues as they occur.”

Met Office latest forecast

Friday 20 October 2023 13:45 , Athena Stavrou

The Met Office has revealed this weekend’s forecast as Storm Babet continues to “influence” weather across Britain. Saturday will bring strong winds and further heavy rain in Scotland, while Sunday will see winds get slightly lighter.

Coastguard helicopter search for man feared trapped in vehicle

Friday 20 October 2023 13:42 , Jane Dalton A major search is under way for a man reportedly to be trapped in a vehicle in floodwater.

A Coastguard helicopter and coastal rescue teams launched the hunt for the man near the Aberdeenshire village of Marykirk after the alarm was raised around 3am on Friday.

Lighthouse damaged by Storm Babet

Friday 20 October 2023 13:30 , Athena Stavrou A lighthouse at the mouth of the River Tyne has been damaged in Storm Babet, port officials said. With the ongoing dangerous sea conditions, it was not safe to assess the damage to the lighthouse at South Shields, the Port of Tyne authority said.

No traffic was going in and out of the river with 6m of sea swell, it said. The public have been urged to keep away from the area, particularly the piers, by the port authority, due to the unsafe weather conditions.

Roads closed due to flooding

Friday 20 October 2023 13:15 , Athena Stavrou Storm Babet has forced the closure of several roads across the UK.

National Highways said the A46 in Leicestershire is closed in both directions between the A606 near Widmerpool and A6006 near Sixhills due to flooding. Floodwater has also forced the closure of the A52 in Derbyshire eastbound from the B6003 near Bardhills to the A6007 near Bramcote.

In Scotland, several sections of major Scottish roads are closed due to flooding. Traffic Scotland said these include:

– The A92 closed at Parbroath Crossroads, Fife. – The A90 closed to northbound traffic at Struan Roundabout, Dundee. – The A90 closed to southbound traffic at Stonehaven Junction, Aberdeenshire.

– The A90 closed between Myrekirk and Swallow Roundabouts, Dundee. – The A85 closed at Huntingtower, near Perth. Drivers have also been advised to take care when crossing several bridges, including the A898 Erskine Bridge, West Dunbartonshire; the M90 Queensferry Crossing between Edinburgh and Fife; and the A87 Skye Bridge.

Storm Babet causes travel chaos as train services cancelled

Friday 20 October 2023 12:53 , Athena Stavrou

Train services have been cancelled and suspended on major lines across the UK on Friday. National Rail Enquiries said flooding has blocked all lines running through Swindon and no trains are running between Derby and Sheffield or Nottingham. Other routes blocked include between Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley; between Shrewsbury and Hereford/Wolverhampton; between Hereford and Birmingham New Street.

There are also no services between Chester and Crewe; between Wrexham Central and Bidston; and between Chester and Hooton. Major disruption has also been seen across Scotland. ScotRail said train services remain suspended on several routes in north and north-east Scotland.

No trains are running between Aberdeen and Elgin; Edinburgh and Aberdeen via Fife; Perth and Aberdeen via Dundee; Dunblane and Perth; Perth and Aviemore; and Tain and Wick/Thurso. All Fife Circle services are also suspended, impacting services between Glasgow Queen Street and Aberdeen/Inverness; and Edinburgh Waverley and Aberdeen/Inverness.

Woman forced to evacuate home an hour after she moves in

Friday 20 October 2023 12:43 , Athena Stavrou A woman has told how she was evacuated from her home due to the risk of flooding from Storm Babet, just over an hour after she had moved in.

Residents of 335 homes in Brechin, Scotland, were asked to leave for “their own safety” during Storm Babet on Thursday, which is battering parts of the UK. Terri Masson, 33, had only moved into her new home in Meikle Mill in Brechin on Thursday when she was told by the council she would have to leave at 4.30pm. While her home has not been hit by the flooding, it is one of hundreds which are in the evacuation zone.

The mother-of-five asked friends from Montrose to come and collect her from the town. “I moved in yesterday and was in not even two hours and got told to evacuate,” she told the PA news agency. “I hadn’t even unpacked my stuff, nothing.

I had just started to unpack and they came to the door and they were like ‘you have to go’. We left about quarter past five. “I knew Brechin could flood when the weather is bad, but I’ve never been in the middle of something like this.

It was scary for the kids – we got out as quick as we could.”

What is fueling the ‘extraordinary’ Storm Babet?

Friday 20 October 2023 12:21 , Athena Stavrou Severe rainfall and winds from Storm Babet have caused devastating flooding in Ireland and Scotland in the last couple of days, prompting evacuations and dramatic rescues.[48][49][50][51][52] The rainfall, which is expected to last till the weekend, has flooded houses, damaged roads and railways, swept away unharvested crops, and killed a 57-year-old woman and [53]a man whose van was hit by a falling[54]tree[55] in Scotland[56].

Experts say Babet is an “extraordinary” storm which has been fuelled by several factors, including the impact of a typhoon on jet stream and rising temperatures.