The Met Office issued a second Red weather warning covering the Tayside and Grampian regions from midnight on Friday 20 October to midnight on Saturday 21 October 2023, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said in an update that day. The service said Storm Babet was continuing to cause life-threatening flooding across Scotland.
An additional Amber warning for rain was in place across Easter Ross, Caithness and Sutherland for the Saturday, the SFRS said, and existing warnings remained in effect across other areas in the east and north of Scotland. Since Thursday morning, 19 October, the service had received more than 750 emergency 999 calls and attended almost 300 incidents in total. It said it had responded to almost 70 weather related incidents across Scotland, including rescues from homes and floodwaters.
David Lockhart, SFRS Assistant Chief Officer, said resources from across Scotland had been deployed in the affected areas to support evacuation and rescue efforts.
"We are facing unprecedented flooding in many areas, and we must stress to the public that flood waters should always be avoided."
The service asked members of the public to avoid flood water at all costs and not to attempt to walk through, play in, drive through or otherwise enter any flooded areas for any reason. It asked people to keep children and pets away from the water and not to travel in or around the affected areas wherever possible. It advised anyone who knows someone in trouble, or who needs emergency service assistance, to call 999 and not to attempt to reach people, animals or properties through floodwaters. It urged everyone to listen to evacuation warnings and advice from their local authority or the emergency services, and asked parents, guardians and carers to talk to children and young people about the dangers of playing in floodwater.
The service set out the risks it says floodwater poses:
| Risk | What the SFRS says |
|---|---|
| Swift currents | Even a few inches of moving water can knock you off your feet |
| Hidden hazards | Sharp debris, branches, rocks and even submerged vehicles beneath the surface |
| Water quality | Often contaminated with sewage, chemicals and other pollutants; contact can cause infection and illness |
| Unpredictability | Conditions can change rapidly, with unexpected rises in water levels and intensifying currents |
| Cold water shock | Cold water can affect stamina |
Why it matters for households
The second Red warning covers households in Tayside and Grampian from midnight on 20 October to midnight on 21 October, with an Amber rain warning for Easter Ross, Caithness and Sutherland on the Saturday and other warnings still in effect in the east and north of Scotland. The SFRS reports rescues from homes and floodwaters and asks residents to follow evacuation advice from local authorities and the emergency services. Its guidance is that floodwater should not be entered on foot or by vehicle, that children and pets should be kept away from it, and that 999 should be called for anyone in trouble rather than attempting a rescue through floodwater. The Met Office explains the difference between yellow, amber and red warnings in its guide to Met Office weather warnings, and households can find out how to receive alerts in the guide to signing up for Met Office weather alerts. Further coverage of storms and snow is in the storms and snow hub.
What happens next
The second Red warning runs until midnight on Saturday 21 October, and the Amber rain warning for Easter Ross, Caithness and Sutherland applies on the Saturday. No further warnings or timings beyond those dates have been reported.
Sources (1)
- Storm Babet update | Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, firescotland.gov.uk
Met Office Weather Warnings
