Response to flooding ‘not good enough’

Fife residents hit by c a t a s t r o p h i c flooding were left to fend for themselves as water levels rose. The local authority has conceded its response to the effects of August’s “apocalyptic” storm was inadequate, with one councillor giving it a “D-minus” for its efforts.

Despite 129 council staff working all night while up to their knees in water on August 12, many people decanted from their homes did not know what to do.

A local community centre was not opened for evacuated families in one area and no information was made available.

A full record of every flooding event that night has still not been compiled and residents are still waiting for reassurance that they will not suffer the same plight again.

Ma ny face spending Christmas in temporary accommodation.

Councillors have now called for a full list of the areas affected to be made available.

They have also asked for a comprehensive report on the council’s response to the incident and the lessons learned, as well as an examination of whether a ny additional money could be found to prevent a repeat of the devastation.

Police declared a major incident in Fife due to the unprecedented nature of the relentless torrential downpour along with thunder and lightning.

The amount of rain that fell at Fife Airpor t in Glenrothes has been described as a one-in-1,000year event.

Council officers have now pledged to spend £325,000 on reviewing road drainage and clearing gullies and ditches in a bid to ensure vulnerable communities are better protected during any future deluge.

Senior roads manager Derek Crowe said it was one of the worst and most intense storms ever recorded and the council responded to 239 separate incidents.

“We have many preparatory and mitigating steps and all were applied on this occasion,” he said.

“It really didn’t have any great impact, the storm was just so serious.”

How e v e r, Cardenden Labour councillor Linda Erskine was scathing in her reply, saying: “Our response to this was not good enough. If it was a report card it would be getting a D-minus.

“We we r e didn ’t lose Cardenden.”

Labour Dunfermline member Helen Law said the intention had been good but added: “What’s missing is how we deal with peop le having catastrophes on their doorstep.

“We urgently need to set up an emergency plan in Fife.”

Mr Crowe said areas for improvement had already been identified.

“It was identified that there was a gap, that residents were left to look after things themselves,” he said.

“We will be looking at the Fife-wide response.” lucky lives we in

DEVASTATED: Kate and Steve Hampshaw of Kinglassie saw part of their house washed away when the Lochty Burn broke its banks during the storm. Picture by Steve Brown.