Flood-hit Fifers left counting cost in the wake of devastating rainfall

Flood-hit residents in Fife are counting the cost of Wednesday’s deluge.

People in the Park Road and Harley Street areas of Rosyth had to be evacuated after a burn burst its banks.

A major clean-up operation was under way yesterday after thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused.

Annette Young, 65, cannot yet put a price on the flood damage.

“I feel really disappointed and let down by the council. Where are they?” she said.

“We’ve all just had to muck in here but the council hasn’t even come with sandbags – the sandbags I’ve got here are the ones I kept from the last time.”

Mrs Young has been renovating her house and garden recently but many of her belongings, including her new sofa, have been left sodden.

“My granddaughter has epilepsy so we put down carpet tiles just four weeks ago to stop her banging her head but those are soaking and have had to come up.”

Ross Speirs, service manager at Fife Council, said work to reduce the impact of the weather was “ongoing”, including clearing the burn behind Park Road.

“Like many areas across Scotland, torrential rain has caused some disruption,” he said.

“No surface water drains and sewers could have coped with the intensity of the unprecedented intense rainfall, which caused widespread flooding throughout the south Fife area, including Inverkeithing, the M90, Dunfermline, Oakley and Cowdenbeath.

“Area officers worked all night to help minimise the effects.

“Scottish Water and Fife Council are working together to help householders tenants and businesses affected.”

Council officials were assessing Park Road Primary School, and the clear-up there should be completed by next week.

Meanwhile, hundreds of homes and businesses had to deal with power cuts early yesterday for the second time in as many days.

Scottish Power confirmed faults in the KY11 and KY12 areas, which cover a large part of west Fife from Cowdenbeath to Kincardine.

A spokesman said it became aware of the problems at 5.33am, but power was restored to most areas by 7.45am.

A number of roads remained closed yesterday morning due to flooding.

The Camdean and Dell Farquharson community leisure centres and Valleyfield and Parkgate community centre reported significant roof leaks.

Anyone using the centres has been advised to check if they are open as normal as repairs continue.

Organisers of the Pittenweem Arts Festival said they had to close the festival car park due to heavy flooding and “unsafe” conditions in the field.