Angus residents have been told the area is “not out of the woods” from Storm Babet.
And Angus Council risk and resilience chief Jacqui Semple revealed some Brechin residents are still being rescued from their flood-hit homes.
In an update on the Storm Babet situation at lunchtime on Friday she confirmed 60 households were taken to safety after the River South Esk in Brechin burst its banks overnight.
It came after the red weather warning for the area was extended to Saturday.
The military could still be involved in the Angus Storm Babet response if it is felt appropriate.
There are more than 70 people in rest centres in Brechin, Montrose and Forfar.
Many had refused to leave their homes despite repeated warnings.
“Many yesterday were advised to evacuate and despite a second sweep and additional phone calls many chose to stay in their own homes,” said Mrs Semple.
There are 335 houses in the Brechin flood plan, all of which have been affected by the South Esk bursting its banks.
But she could not give the full number of properties hit across the wider Angus area.
Some affected Brechin households had taken refuge in upstairs rooms and are now being rescued by emergency teams.
Monifieth evacuation
She said the area was “very much in uncharted territory.”
“We are certainly not out of the woods yet,” added the council official.
“It is not an improving picture as yet, unfortunately.”
Brechin is the worst hit area, but Edzell remains cut off.
She described the circumstances there as a “really challenging situation”.
An evacuation is also underway in Monifieth where the Dighty Burn overtopped.
Those affected will be taken to the Dundee International Sports Complex in Mains Loan, the rest centre in the City of Discovery.
Residents ‘devastated’
Mrs Semple hailed council staff and emergency services for their work during the crisis.
She said the people arriving at rest centres were distraught.
There are 50+ at Brechin, 17 in Montrose and nine at Forfar.
“People are devastated – this is awful,” she added.
“People are arriving (at rest centres) in such a state.
Staff were seeing “the impact emotionally, physically and everything with goes with that.”
“We have a forward look about how we support those in our rest centres as well as those that have gone to friends and family.
“It is going to be really difficult for people to get back into their own homes.”
There are concerns some locals will not be able to return to the worst-hit areas this year.
The official declined to put any timeframe on people being allowed back.
But she added: “If you’re flooded, you’re not going to be back in in a few days.”
Meanwhile, in Brechin, locals have been supporting those affected.
At the community campus rest centre, Dick Robertson, from Little Brechin said: “I’ve come to donate items because I’d like to think that if I was in such a situation people would be willing to help me out.
“Brechin is a small place but it’s very close-knit. When times get tough we come together.
“I think it’s going to be a couple of years until everything is back to normal. The drains in the town aren’t going to cope with this weather.”
Michelle Reynolds, of the Brechin Arms said: “We have plenty of food on offer for anyone who needs it.
“We’ve been supplying soup and bread for the emergency services, they’ve been working all night and haven’t had anything so we wanted to help out.
“I think the weather is going to get worse again so if anyone is in need of something to eat then please come past.”
Natalie Hughes, 29, said: “My house is down at the river and has been flooded but thankfully I’ve been able to stay at a friend’s house.
“We were able to get some things away to avoid them getting damaged.
“It’s my son’s seventh birthday next week and we needed to move all of his presents so they wouldn’t get destroyed.
“Because I’ve been at my friend’s I don’t know what condition my house is in. The street is still closed so I don’t know when I’ll be able to find out.
“One of our friends is currently inside the campus because she wasn’t able to go anywhere else. Everyone seems to be pulling together.”
You can keep up with the latest on Storm Babet HERE.
Images of the rescue operation in Brechin.
Conversation