ANGUS Council has issued an urgent plea for donations of warm clothing at the Brechin rest centre amid a “very serious emergency”.

River levels are around 4.4m above normal levels and continuing to increase, with council chiefs stressing the situation is “completely unprecedented” and gauges have become “unreliable”.

People have been left trapped in their homes with rescue crews struggling to reach them as Storm Babet continues to wreak havoc in the north east of Scotland.

Many who have made it to the Brechin Community Campus – which is serving as a rest centre for people forced out of their homes – are turning up in soaked clothes.

The council has now asked anyone who lives near the centre that is able to get there safely to consider donating clothing, with more than 40 adults having turned up completely drenched.

In a statement, Angus Council said rain was expected to fall well into Saturday and staff will not know the full extent of the damage until well into the weekend.

READ MORE: Storm Babet latest as parts of Angus completely flooded

The council said: “Angus is in the middle of a very serious emergency, following a very challenging night.

“Brechin defences were breached around 4am this morning. River levels are around 4.4m above normal levels and continuing to increase as Storm Babet persists. This is completely unprecedented and at these heights, gauges have become unreliable.

“The Met Office Red Weather warning remains in place until 12pm today with rain expected to fall well into Saturday. We expect conditions to deteriorate well into the weekend before we are able to determine the extent of the damage and begin recovery following Storm Babet.

“We ask that if you are in danger of flooding, please don’t leave it too late. If asked to evacuate, please do so, as hard as it is.

“Brechin, and increasingly other parts of Angus, are now only accessible via boat. Rescue crews are now dealing with over 100 calls from areas which were asked to evacuate yesterday evening.

“Emergency Rest Centres in Brechin, Montrose and Forfar are open to all those in need in Angus, pets are welcome too. We ask that anyone attending a rest centre brings with them all the supplies they need, along with sleeping bags and medication to last them over the weekend.”

The statement added: “If anyone lives near the Brechin Community Campus that is able to get to the rest centre without putting themselves at risk, we are looking for donations of all types of warm clothing for adults.

"We now have in excess of 40 adults who have arrived at the rest centre with only the soaked clothes they have arrived in.”

More than 350 homes across Angus were contacted yesterday and advised to evacuate.

If your life is at risk, remember to call 999. Emergency services are on the ground in Angus ready to help.