Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Flooding chaos
Residents evacuated after streets are flooded
Dramatic pictures show how a sudden thunderstorm deluge flooded an Airdrie street – with 16 households being evacuated from their properties by firefighters during the night.
Homes at Luing in Petersburn were suddenly plunged under water as torrential rain caused flash flooding early on Wednesday, with nearly 21mm of rain being recorded in just one hour at the Salsburgh weather station.
Properties at nearby Bankhead Avenue, Holly Street in Craigneuk and Chapelhall industrial estate were also flooded, while emergency services had to rescue 14 people from submerged vehicles in “significant flooding” between junctions five and six on the M8.
Airdrie South councillor Ian McNeil received a phone call at 4am to alert him to the flooding at Luing.
He told the Advertiser: “The fire brigade had not long arrived when I got there and were switching off the electricity and looking to see if anyone needed rescued from the 16 homes.
“The flooding has affected bottom flats and terraced housing. People’s houses are uninhabitable, so they’ve been offered temporary housing.
“Bankhead Avenue and Place were also under water. When I visited residents there the following afternoon, they had no electricity as it had been switched off and were waiting for insurance advisers.
“Holly Street was flooded too and I think the drainage in these areas needs to be looked at – there was certainly an exceptional amount of water and what fell in just a few hours was incredible, but all these areas have flooded before and we don’t want it to happen again.”
The flooding at Holly Street was the first of several Airdrie calls to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), with a crew being sent out after a call at 3.42am. Two appliances then went to Luing 12 minutes later.
SFRS said: “Firefighters helped lead the occupants of four properties to safety at Holly Street and worked to assist their emergency service and local authority partners.
“At Luing, there were reports of a number of properties affected by severe flooding. A number of residents were evacuated and led to safety. Flooding was reported at the commercial premises on Chapelhall industrial estate at 4.15am, where firefighters worked to reduce the impact of water and make the area safe”.
Single crews then twice attended Bankhead Avenue, with the SFRS spokesperson saying: “We were alerted at 4.41am to reports of domestic flooding. Firefighters worked to make the area safe and support impacted occupants.
“We re- attended the street to an additional property at 5.05am, with one appliance mobilised. Crews worked with their partners to ensure the area was made safe before leaving the scene.”
A spokesperson for North Lanarkshire Council said: “Our contractor cleaned the water gullies at Luing, Varnsdorf Way and Barra Drive in July and, following the heavy rainfall last week, officers carried out an inspection and arranged for the gullies to be cleaned again.
“The issues with flooding and a manhole cover, which had been removed, have been reported to Scottish Water. We understand they will be continuing to investigate these issues, and we will work with them and elected members to address the local flooding in this area.”
Housing solutions manager Gillian Whitehead said: “Council properties in Luing and Bankhead Avenue and properties in Holly Street experienced flooding, with three households being temporarily decanted.
“We have been carrying out remedial repair work and assisting tenants with any necessary support and advice.”