Storm Babet impacts

The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) met this evening to discuss the exceptional levels of rain in parts of Scotland this weekend. The meeting was chaired by the Justice Secretary Angela Constance.

The Met Office Red Warning that was in place in parts of Scotland has now been lifted. Amber and yellow warnings are still in force throughout the coming hours with some impacts possible.

Parts of Scotland are still in the midst of dealing with severe flooding impacts and some rivers remain at hazardous levels. There are still Flood Alerts and Warnings in force so people are asked to remain vigilant.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said:

“Storm Babet’s exceptional level of rain has severely impacted parts of Scotland. Tragically, the storm has led to lives being lost and I send my sincere condolences to the families affected.

“While the Red warning has now passed, rain does continue to fall and I urge people in areas with amber and yellow weather warnings to continue to follow advice from emergency services and local authorities.

“Our priority remains to keep the public safe and I want to thank all those who have worked tirelessly, in very challenging conditions, to respond to this exceptional weather event.

“The storm has caused significant damage and while flooding is still occurring, it is not expected to be as serious as over the last 24 hours. The impact, however, will be felt in communities for some time to come.

“While many local authorities are still responding to the immediate impacts of the storm, thoughts are now turning to recovery. Over the coming days and weeks, we will stay in close contact with local authorities to support the people and businesses affected.”

 Assistant Chief Constable of Police Scotland Stuart Houston said:

"We are seeing an improving weather picture, but conditions remain extremely challenging, particularly in the worst affected areas in Tayside.

“A number of roads remain closed due to flooding, while driving conditions on others are extremely hazardous due to surface water.

“I would urge drivers to follow travel advice, prepare for potential disruption and allow extra time for journeys. People should consider if travel in the worst affected areas is essential or if journeys can be delayed until conditions improve further.

“It is also vital that people stay away from flooded areas as these remain highly dangerous due to the extreme conditions of the last few days.”

Background

Resilience Partners include: Regional Resilience Partnerships for the three regions of Scotland; the Met Office; Scottish Water; Scottish Gas Networks; SSEN; and Scottish Power Energy Networks.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) issues regional flood alerts and local flood warnings for Scotland. View the latest updates on their website.

Updates on ScotRail services and road conditions are available online.

Advice on preparing for severe weather can be found on the Ready Scotland website.