The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Storm Babet victims left living in fear
Six months on from Storm Babet, many flooded homes in Brechin are still far from habitable. And while some residents are looking forward to getting back into their dried-out, reinstated houses, many are living in fear and dread of what the future might bring.
They claim there’s little being done to reassure them their homes won’t flood yet again – and to improve flood prevention.
Having lost everything during that fateful weekend in October last year, it’s been a hard slog and an emotional challenge for senior charge nurse June Soutar.
June, 60, left her groundfloor flat on Brechin’s East Mill Road on the night of the flood, on October 19, believing she could return the following day.
But when she did return, she found everything was ruined, including treasured photos of her children.
Clothing, furniture and carpets were covered in muddy, contaminated water and her late father’s car was a write-off.
With nowhere to go, June slept on her daughter’s sofa for six weeks before booking into an Airbnb, and then into a rental property in Brechin in January.
“It’s been absolute hell,” said June.
“I’ve not been able to work since the flood. It’s taken a big toll on my mental and physical health.
“My statutory sick pay stopped so I’ve no income.
“I’ve a responsible job as a senior staff nurse at Stonehaven Community Hospital.
“I need to be able to concentrate and function, as it’s peoples’ lives we’re taking care of.”
June says her home is not yet completely dry or stripped out.
She claims her insurance company will not remove plaster covered in black mould, and that mould is travelling up to the ceiling.
Recent contact from her insurance company brought her to tears.
June was told her home had “pre-existing” rising damp and that all repair work must stop and all fittings be reinstalled – even though they are flood damaged.
“I’m devastated. I can’t stop crying,” said June.
“I don’t have money to repair this. That’s why you have insurance, is it not? But it looks like I won’t be going home any time soon.
“The drying company was advised to remove the equipment as it’s apparently nothing to do with flooding, which is simply not right.”
June is also upset at what she claims is a lack of communication from Angus Council.
She said: “There’s nothing from the council about what measures are to be put in place to prevent this happening again.
“The only thing is that they’ve started to mend the listed wall beside the bridge, as apparently that’s more important than our homes, and livelihoods.
“I feel – what’s the point if we live in fear of this happening again?”
Hayley Duggan said she’s been “very lucky” with her insurance company getting her home on East Mill Road dried out quickly and repaired.
It’s being decorated and flooring is being laid – and she reckons she, her husband and their five-yearold son could be moved back within a month.
However Hayley – who works for Voluntary Action Angus – is worried about the future.
“I’m super-anxious that in a few months we could go through this hell all over again,” she said.
“I’m going to feel so unsafe, knowing nothing has been done to keep my home better protected.”
Middleton Park resident Leanne Wood echoed Hayley’s fears.
Leanne, a senior team leader in a care home, said: “It’s all good getting our houses repaired but they should be repairing and upgrading the flood defence or this will happen again.
“Many of us are scared to go home. What is being put in place to help us? My mental health is awful. I’ve lost so much sleep.”
Leanne added that she will be “river watching”, anxiously.
“We weren’t given flood guards. Nothing was done to support us. We’re worried we’re going to lose everything again.”
David and Isla Scott were trapped in the attic with their two dogs as their home on East Mill House Gardens was engulfed by rising flood waters.
The couple were eventually rescued by boat, but it was a terrifying three-hour wait.
Since then, they’ve been living in rental accommodation in Brechin.
And retired engineer David says the couple have racked up electricity bills of
£4,000 thanks to drying equipment running 24/7.
“Insurance said they’d settle us once the house is dried out,” he said.
“There was some amount of power being used, so much so that a power socket was starting to crack and melt.”
David says he’s unaware of any measures being taken to prevent such flooding happening again.
“It’s taking ages for anything to happen. We’re lucky our insurance company has been good.
“People have been in to check moisture levels, and there’s a walkway so we can access parts of the house.”
Ian and Jane Stewart’s house on River Street was among the worst hit by flooding.
However, the couple hope to be back in their home by June.
Ian, 82, has paid out £2,400 in electricity bills to dry the place out but he hopes to claim this on insurance.
“The builders are in at the moment, so it’ll be good to get back home,” he said.
Euan Clark’s ground-floor flat on River Street was wrecked by the flood, with contaminated water almost reaching light switches.
He was renting the property from his dad, John, who had inherited it from his parents.
The family reckoned it would cost too much for them to get it back to the way it was – so they put it on the market for £15,000.
It had been valued at £55,000 a few years ago.
A spokesman for Angus Council said: “Angus Council and its partners have worked hard to help the whole of Angus and especially Brechin to recover from the unprecedented amount of damage caused by Storm Babet.
“Residents can receive updates and support via our drop-in service every Thursday morning at the Crickety, via engage.angus. gov.uk/brechin or by phoning 03452 777 778.”
Local charity Brechin Buccaneers has been working to help flood victims with financial support.
Grant Hutchison, community engagement manager, said: “People have lost everything.
“Some aren’t insured, and some don’t want to move back.
“For some, there’s a heightened sense of trepidation and fear when it rains. For many, the uncertainty is overwhelming.”