As the aftermath of the ferocious Storm Babet reverberates through the region, First Minister Humza Yousaf plans an empathetic visit to the grief-stricken Angus community. Swaths of the town were left ravaged when the River South Esk overwhelmed its boundaries last Friday.
The devastating conditions incited by the storm have exacted a tragic toll on Scotland, claiming two lives. One, sadly, included resident Wendy Taylor, a casualty of the Water of Lee’s ferocious current in Glen Esk. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) maintains a vigilant watch over the river levels in the North and North East, which remain precarious, providing a glimmer of optimism, there seems to be a momentary respite from the rain for the next two days.
The extent of the inflicted damage on Brechin, an Angus township, is still being determined, as revealed by Councillor Gavin Nicol. He harbors deep-seated concerns about the town’s flood defenses – an infrastructure that was last upgraded five years ago in 2016 – conceding that a review is now essential. He cast a plea to the First Minister during his interview on the BBC Scotland’s The Sunday Show, expressing his hope for additional financial support for Angus Council.
First Minister Yousaf, during this visit, is also projected to express his gratitude to the tirelessly working volunteers, Angus’s local council, and the emergency services for their invaluable support in evacuating the victims displaced from their homes.
As the community rallies amidst this catastrophe, the First Minister commends their united resilience and reveals that Angus Council has been inundated with generous offers of alternative lodging for those misplaced from their homes. He discloses, “The process of assessing the full extent of damage inflicted by the storm in all affected areas has now initiated. This will necessitate time, and we’re coordinating with the local authorities to support the individuals and businesses affected.”
Tragically, Sunday saw Councillor Nicol conveying a somber predication to those whose homes have been flooded, suggesting their recovery and return may stretch out longer than the festive season. He unveiled the ordeal to The Sunday Show, foreseeing an “extensive period” required to resolve the damage, the homes inundated with silt and sludge as a result of the floods won’t be ready by Christmas.
Devastatingly, the storm gripped not only Scotland but also England, claiming a man in his 60s in Shropshire and a woman in her 80s in Chesterfield. A man alleged to be trapped in a car entangled in floodwaters in Marykirk, Aberdeenshire, remains unaccounted for.
Traffic on the A90 is tentatively scheduled to resume by Monday’s rush hour, heading northbound as far as Forfar and southbound up to Brechin. The catastrophe forced the closures of multiple rail routes, and although Aberdeen to Elgin is now accessible, the Aberdeen to Dundee remains closed.
Interim Commercial Director Scott Prentice urged, “The safety of our customers and staff is our first priority, and we won’t run services until we are sure the lines are safe.”
Storm Babet even left its mark on the formidable North Sea drilling platform, despite the distressing loss of half of its anchors, the platform remains “secure”. The resilience of the Angus community echoes the coastline’s stability as they recover and rebuild from the aftermath of one of the most severe storms they’ve ever encountered.
