Hundreds of residents in northeast Scotland at risk of flooding are to be evacuated as Storm Babet sweeps across the country.
A severe flood warning is set to be put in place for the River South Esk area, Angus Council has said.
The council has identified 335 homes in Brechin and 87 in Tannadice and Finavon where residents will be asked to “evacuate for their own safety”.
The local authority has set up three rest centres for all those affected.
Those that have been evacuated or need shelter can go to Brechin Community Campus, Montrose Sports Centre or Forfar Community Campus.
The council said: “Please bring your own sleeping bags, pillows, blankets and any medication you need.”
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Brechin resident John Stewart, 82, said he has no intention of leaving his home.
The pensioner said he has built a wall around his garden and has a floodgate in place to protect his house from water damage.
Mr Stewart said he can’t leave because his “wife’s not well” and is prepared to take the risk.
SEPA is concerned the River South Esk in Brechin will burst its banks
A section of the A933 near Brechin is now impassable due to a fallen tree
Earlier in the day, First Minister Humza Yousaf warned all those in Scotland to “please listen to the advice wherever you are in the country”.
He added: “And to those particularly that are in the red weather warning area, my message is a simple one: Listen to the advice, do not travel.
“We know there is going to be significant disruption. There could be harm to people if they do not listen to that advice.”
It comes as severe weather warnings are in place in parts of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland as Storm Babet hits the UK.
A workman clears the drains in the village of Edzell in Angus
The downpour has already caused disruption to Scotland’s transport network.
A number of ScotRail and Stagecoach services have been cancelled, and around 10,000 homes in Scotland have been affected by power cuts due to the storm.
The RNLI is advising people to stay away from the coast, highlighting the risk of being washed out to sea, and the British Geological Survey has also warned that the storm could cause landslides in areas where the weather is the worst.
Aberdeenshire Council said it will be setting up rest centres in Stonehaven and Laurencekirk for residents unable to remain in their homes.
The local authority has also postponed funerals until next week due to the weather.
A Brechin resident stacking sandbags outside a door
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has issued 12 flood alerts and eight flood warnings.
In England, the Environment Agency issued five flood warnings – mostly in the North East – and 36 flood alerts, mostly in the Midlands.
An amber warning of rain has been issued for parts of northern England and parts of northern Wales. The warning lasts from midday tomorrow until 6am on Saturday.
The flooding in Midleton, Co Cork
Areas under the warning include Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham, Chester and Bradford.
Ireland was the first to get the brunt of Storm Babet as it swept in from the Atlantic.
Members of the Irish Defence Forces had to be deployed in the town of Midleton, Co Cork, in the south of Ireland, where more than 100 properties were flooded.
A flood defence barrier erected in Edzell’s Church Street
The local council said more than a month’s worth of rain had fallen in the space of 24 hours.
Brechin is within the Met Office’s red warning area. The worst of the rain is expected between 6pm on Thursday and 12pm on Friday.
Up to 220mm of rain is forecast in some areas of eastern Scotland, an amount close to the highest ever 24-hour total of 238mm at Sloy Main Adit, Argyll and Bute, in 1974.
Brechin is within the Met Office’s red warning area
The Met Office has said to expect:
• Danger to life from fast flowing or deep floodwater
• Extensive flooding to homes and businesses
• Collapsed or damaged buildings or structures
• Road closures and bus and train service delays and cancellations
• Dangerous driving conditions because of spray and flooded roads
• Loss of power and other essential services, such as gas, water and mobile phone service
• Communities completely cut off, perhaps for several days
Angus Council had already confirmed that schools and early years centres across the region would close at lunchtime on Thursday. They will remain closed on Friday.
Road teams across Angus have been actively deploying sandbags to resilience groups around vulnerable areas and buildings.
The council has a “limited supply” of sandbags available for residents.
A maximum of 20 each will be available while stocks last and can be picked up at the council’s roads depots in Brechin, Forfar and Arbroath.
