Days after Storm Babet caused widespread flooding across parts of Scotland, a yellow alert for rain has been put in place by the Met Office. The warning will affect areas in Scotland which were badly hit by the storm, including Angus, Dundee, Perth and Kinross, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. The rain will be much less heavy than last week, with an estimated 20-30mm of rainfall likely to fall over three days. However, with the ground already saturated, the rain could still lead to flooding.
The affected areas are said to still be in the process of cleaning up from the damage caused by Storm Babet. Perthshire, Angus and Aberdeenshire were among the worst affected areas during the storm, as rivers burst their banks, flooding defences breached, homes were damaged and dozens of people had to be rescued. The clean-up operation is anticipated to take several weeks, with up to 40 tonnes of mud having to be removed from the streets of Invergowrie alone.
The emergency services had a difficult time during the storm, as three people died in Scotland as a result of the extreme weather. Wendy Taylor, 57, died after being swept away in the Water of Lee, Glen Esk. John Gillan, 56, was also killed after a falling tree hit his van near Forfar. A third man, later identified as 61-year-old Peter Pelling, from Arbroath, was reported missing after he became trapped in his car, which was swept away in flood water in Marykirk, Aberdeenshire. The police found his body inside the vehicle following a three-day search.
While councils are working to clear the debris, insurers are encouraging homeowners who have suffered flood damage to get in touch as soon as possible. The Scottish government has activated the Bellwin scheme, a discretionary fund which is designed to help councils that face extra costs as a result of large-scale emergencies. The scheme has been activated in recent years after other major flooding events in Scotland, including after storms Eva and Frank battered Scotland over Christmas and New Year 2015. Previous storms are estimated to have cost the Scottish economy up to £700m, according to a report by accountants PwC
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