A rare “risk to life” warning has been issued as the UK braces for over one month’s worth of rain to drench worst-hit regions on Thursday. 

Storm Babet, which hit Ireland after sweeping in from the Atlantic, is set to bring 70mph wind gusts and flooding, with people warned of potential power outages. 

A Met Office red warning states that from 6pm there is “danger to life from fast-flowing or deep floodwater” in Aberdeenshire and Angus in eastern Scotland, with extensive road closures expected.

It is the first red warning for rain issued in the UK since Storm Dennis in February 2020. An amber wind warning has also been issued for parts of eastern Scotland.

Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst said: “We’re going to see prolonged heavy rain, where we could see 200 to 250 millimetres of rain falling within a day which is well over a month’s worth of rainfall for eastern parts of Scotland.

“We’re likely to see flooding, power disruption, travel disruption, there is a risk to life as well.”

Follow the latest developments below