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Flash flood misery

by A TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR triggered flash floods that caused devastation across Tayside and Fife yesterday.

The unprecedented overnight downpour caused havoc on the roads and rivers burst their banks as waters rose, while one Fife house had part of its outer wall ripped away in the floods. Fife bore the brunt of the deluge. Residents of Pitscottie, near Cupar, were trapped in their homes by fast-flowing flood waters after the River Eden burst its banks.

One home in Dura Den even had part of its gable wall washed away by floodwater. Luckily, nobody was hurt. Meanwhile, roads into the East Neuk of Fife were rendered completely impassable yesterday morning because of flooding, leaving many commuters unable to reach their work.

On the other side of the Tay, the A92 between Dundee and Angus was forced to close because of deep water lying on the road.

Several roads in Angus were also affected by flooding.

In all, the Met Office said 41mm of rain had fallen on Tayside and Fife overnight on Thursday — nearly half the amount forecasters would expect to fall throughout the entire month of October.

Emergency services were called out to rescue several passengers who were trapped in cars caught up in the floods.

Several businesses in Dundee city centre suffered thousands of pounds in damage after they were flooded.

Rainwater was also able to pour through the roof of the former Tay Hotel.

The clear impact of the flooding at Dura Den (above). An overturned caravan on the A9 near Bankfoot. Right (from top) — flooding on the A934 Montrose to Forfar road. A stranded car at the A92 underpass at Ardestie.