Second person dies as Storm Babet prompts new red warning
A second person has died in Scotland as Storm Babet brings high wind and heavy rainfall.
Police have confirmed that a falling tree hit a van near Forfar in Angus yesterday (19 October) evening, killing the 56-year-old driver.
The man, who has not yet been named, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A Police Scotland spokesperson told LADbible: “Around 5.05pm on Thursday, 19 October, 2023, police received a report of a one-vehicle crash in which a tree struck a van on the B9127 at Whigstreet near Forfar.
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“Emergency services attended, however, the 56-year-old driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Next of kin have been informed and a report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.
“The road remains closed.”
Yesterday, police in Scotland confirmed a 57-year-old woman tragically died after being swept into a river in Angus.
Police said her body was recovered in the afternoon at Water of Lee, Glen Esk.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 1.45pm on Thursday, 19 October, officers attended a report of a person having been swept into the Water of Lee, Glen Esk.
“Around 4pm, the body of a 57-year-old woman was recovered from the river. There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”
The Met Office has announced a new red weather warning for the North East of Scotland starting from midnight tonight and running through Saturday.
According to the Met Office, the red rain weather warning means there is ‘exceptional rainfall expected to cause severe flooding and disruption’ with a ‘danger to life’ due to fast flowing or deep flood water.
There is likely to be 'extensive flooding to homes and businesses' as well as a high chance of collapsed or damaged buildings.
Driving conditions will be dangerous with the chance of road closures and disruption to public transport.
The Met Office has issued warnings for most of the UK, with amber warnings for wind and rain issued for parts of Northern England, the Midlands and Northern Wales from noon on Friday to 6am on Saturday.
A yellow warning for Northern Ireland is also in place from 3am on Friday to 9am on Saturday.
Rescue operations are currently underway in the Scottish town of Brechin, Angus, after flood defences were breached in the early hours of the morning, leading to hundreds of homes being surrounded by water.
Claire Reid