Flood forum to offer advice across region
Dates planned this week
The director of the Scottish Flood Forum believes flooding is becoming an all-year-round problem thanks to climate change.
The independent charity funded by the Scottish Government will be in several Perthshire locations this week offering advice and information to local residents.
Perth and Kinross Council asked for the organisation’s help when much of Perthshire was deluged by heavy rainfall overnight on August 11/12.
Director, Carol Raeburn, told the PA: “We were contacted by Perth and Kinross Council to come and support them.”
Homes and businesses in Alyth, Bridge of Earn, Dunning, Kinross and Perth were all affected by flood damage. And Carol believes global warming means storms such as the severe one a fortnight ago could sadly become more common.
She explained: “I think with climate change this may be the way of the future.
“I have only been with the Scottish Flood Forum since February and since February we have had Storm Ciara, Storm Dennis and now we had this.
“When I got this position someone said to me what will you do in the summer?”
But in fact, Carol’s team are dealing with floods all year round.
She said: “We are breaking away from traditional storms being in the winter and I think that’s down to climate change.”
The small organisation - with only four members of staff - is currently responding to multiple incidents all over Scotland.
Last Wednesday (August 19) they brought their mobile unit to Perth to speak to those affected by the recent floods. Conservative councillor for Perth City Centre Chris Ahern went to find out more and meet with residents.
He told the PA: “I found it interesting the range of things people had spoken to them about - tenants and homeowners.
“Some had had a flood and wanted to know what their rights were and others wondered what they could do to prevent a flood in the future.”
Carol said flood victims she spoke to last Wednesday were worried about insurance, where they were going to go and the flood’s impact on possessions.
“In Perth, as is often the case, nobody was expecting this to happen. It’s a huge emotional trauma,” added Carol.
“It’s an invasion of their home. It’s a very emotional line of work that we do.
“You cannot help but feel for the people we come across and just the sheer enormity of that water coming into your home.”
Carol and her colleagues will be offering their support to folks across Perthshire this week at four different locations: Tuesday, August 25: Kinross (Lochleven Mills) 10am-4pm. Wednesday, August 26: Perth, King Edward Street 10am-4pm. Wednesday, August 26: Dunning 6pm-9pm. Thursday, August 27: Alyth 10am - 4pm..