In Pictures: Communities cut off as Storm Babet brings ‘unprecedented’ rain

Some residents have been asked to evacuate their homes as Storm Babet swept across the UK and Ireland on Thursday.

The Met Office issued a rare red weather warning for parts of Scotland and said some communities could be cut off for several days by severe flooding.

In Ireland, the army and civil defence units were called in to provide support and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who visited those affected in Midleton, Co Cork, said a financial package will be offered to homes and businesses damaged in floods.