Forecasters have warned people to expect more flooding in Scotland in the coming days as a weather warning of rain was extended by 24 hours.
The latest Scottish Flood Forecast said “significant flooding impacts” are likely in the north east on Thursday, Friday and Saturday due to more torrential rain.
Meanwhile the Met Office has extended its latest warning of heavy rain over the area by a further 24 hours, meaning it will be in place over much of the weekend.
The latest yellow weather warning for rain covers Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Dundee, and Perth and Kinross – most of which saw prolonged downpours cause problems for residents last week, including flooding.
The warning was originally to run from 12pm on Thursday to 12pm on Saturday. It will now remain in place until 12pm on Sunday.
Seven people are known to have died in the UK during Storm Babet, including three people north of the border. They were Wendy Taylor, 57, of Perthshire; John Gillan, 56, of Arbroath; and Peter Pelling, 61, also of Arbroath.
Brechin in Angus was the worst affected area in north-east Scotland, and hundreds of homes had to be evacuated after the river South Esk breached its banks.
The Met Office said on Wednesday: “An area of low pressure becomes firmly in charge over the next few days to bring plenty of showers and further rainfall, especially to parts of eastern Scotland.”
The latest Scottish Flood Forecast update, issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) said: “Significant flooding impacts from rivers and surface water on Thursday, Friday and Saturday are likely in the north east. There is also a risk of further impacts in areas recovering from recent flooding.
“River levels are not expected to be as high as experienced during Storm Babet but as the rain will be falling onto already wet ground, flooding from surface water runoff may also cause impacts.
“Caithness and Sutherland, Easter Ross and Great Glen and the south west of Scotland may also experience some localised flooding due to persistent and heavy rain.”
Elsewhere, Network Rail Scotland warned: “More extremely heavy rain is on the way. It won’t be to the levels from Storm Babet, but it will affect the same areas, already with saturated ground. It will bring a risk of flooding.”
