A rare red weather warning is set to take effect in Scotland as the second red “danger to life” weather warning in one week, with forecasters predicting heavy rainfall and high winds across the United Kingdom. According to predictions, parts of Angus and Aberdeenshire that have already been severely affected by flooding may receive another 70-100mm (4ins) of rain on Saturday. In the wake of Storm Babet, which first hit on Thursday, three individuals have passed away. People who have been forced to evacuate their homes across the UK are still living in temporary accommodation.
A red weather warning, which is the most severe of the three coloured weather warnings used by the Met Office, has been initiated throughout the area, starting at midnight and extending through all of Saturday. Amber warnings for rain have also been issued for other parts of Scotland, as well as for the north of England, the East and West Midlands, and parts of Yorkshire, while yellow warnings for rain and wind are covering much of Scotland, England and Wales. In Angus, where flood defences battled to cope during the storm, a 200-year bridge at the Rottal Estate was washed away, while connections between Marykirk, Angus and elsewhere were blocked.
Angus council has declared a willingness to summon military assistance if circumstances worsen, and the police have advised the public not to travel to the red zone, and to be cautious about driving across Scotland. The flooding caused 70-minute delays on parts of the A1 near Grantham. Meanwhile, Suffolk announced a state of emergency on Friday, as Storm Babet caused “major flooding” in the county. In the rural village of Debenham, about 50 people had taken refuge in the local recreational complex, sleeping on crash matts and claiming to have been cut off by the flooding.
Over the weekend, shelters in Scotland will continue to operate, whereas yellow warnings for rain and wind are still in place elsewhere in the UK
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