Storm Babet has claimed a second life after a man died when his van was hit by falling tree in Scotland.
The tragedy happened in Angus, eastern Scotland, where a second red “danger to life” warning has been issued by the Met Office for Saturday. The region is already facing high winds, torrential rain and severe flooding.
A rescue team wades through flood waters in Brechin where people have been told to leave their homes— (Getty Images)
Confirming the man’s death, a Police Scotland spokesperson said officers were called to a van struck by a tree on the B9127 at Whigstreet near Forfar, on Thursday at 5.05pm.
They added: “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.”
The death is the second confirmed in Storm Babet after a woman’s body was recovered from a river, also in Angus, on Thursday. The 57-year-old was believed to have been swept into the Water of Lee at Glen Esk.
Meanwhile, a major search is taking place for a man reported to be in a vehicle trapped in floodwater near Maykirk in Aberdeenshire in the early hours of Friday.
Have you been impacted by the flooding? Get in touch by emailing alexander.ross@independent.co.uk
A member of the emergency services helps resident Laura Demontis from a house in Brechin— (PA)
A family trapped in the upper floor of their home look out a window in a flooded stret in Brechin— (AFP via Getty Images)
Hundreds of homes have been evacuated due to the extreme in weather.
In Brechin, the entire town was told to leave their homes for safety - yet despite the warning, rescue operations were taking place to help more than 100 people who had stayed put.
The local council has since appealed for donations of warm clothes after 40 people turned up to rest centres while “soaked” with parts of the town now only accessible by boat.
Storm Babet has brought winds of up to 70mph, torrential rain and heavy flooding to Scotland.
Two cars stranded in flood water in Brechin— (PA)
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency warned there is a “danger to life” due to widespread flooding in five areas of Scotland, with flooding expected in a further 16 areas.
Strong gusts were likely on Friday, with particularly poor conditions on immediate coastlines with large waves adding to the list of hazards.
The severe weather resulted in 20,000 properties being hit by power cuts, although Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said electricity had been restored to almost 18,500.
The Met Office’s weather warning map for Saturday— (Met Office)
The Met Office’s second red weather warning for rain will be in place for all of Saturday. The areas affected include the Angus and Aberdeenshire areas in central and eastern Scotland.
Another red weather warning for rain is currently in place across Angus, Dundee, Perth and Kinross and Aberdeenshire.
