Forecasters warning of more severe weather over the weekend
First Minister tours devastated communities as clean-up continues
FORECASTERS have warned of more rain and adverse weather as the country recovers from the battering delivered by Storm Frank.
The Met Office has warned drivers to beware of icy roads today as the temperature is set to plummet, with snow and sleet expected to fall on high ground.
The weekend is likely to see fresh rain fall in many parts of the country, with the north-east – already hit by widespread flooding – particularly badly affected. At the storm’s height elsewhere, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency had issued a “severe flooding — danger to life” warning for Whitesands in Dumfries and Galloway and for the River Tweed in Peebles.
Twelve people, including two children, were rescued from a bus stranded in floodwater in Dailly, South Ayrshire.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was involved in a “major multi-agency response” after the River Tweed burst its banks, flooding large areas of Peebles.
In Aberdeen, coastguard rescue teams were called to help evacuate a care home that was flooded. Residents were also removed from the Riverside Drive area in the city and moved to Norwood Hall, which was opened as a rest centre.
The rain and gales left thousands of homes without power, with faults caused by wind damage and trees or other debris on the lines.
A spokesman for the Met office said that the coming days would bring “typical Scottish winter weather” which may cause problems on the roads and in areas where rain is falling on already saturated ground. The spokesman said: “We will see a spell of wet weather arrive tomorrow, particularly in Grampian, Tayside and Fife, where there might be as much as 60mm to 100mm of rain. This may fall as snow on higher ground, and could impact on areas which have already had to deal with a lot of rain.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visited communities in flood-hit Dumfries and Galloway. She said last night: “In Newton Stewart I saw both the devastation of Storm Frank and the incredible community spirit that defined the response. Thanks to all.”
The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay visited a soup kitchen and army barracks in Ballater.
FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon has described the havoc wreaked by Storm Frank as heartbreaking during a visit to some of the communities devastated by floods in the wake of the extreme weather.
As the clean-up continues across Scotland following some of the worst flooding seen for 40 years, the SNP leader toured Newton Stewart in Dumfries and Galloway where local business owners were sweeping out the remains of the water from their shops.
Scotland bore the brunt of the storm, which left thousands of people without electricity and hundreds needing temporary accommodation.
A male kayaker in his 50s died after getting into difficulties on the River Findhorn, which was swollen with floodwater.
Heavy rain continued to pour as Ms Sturgeon visited shops and businesses devastated by the floods in Newton Stewart.
Ms Sturgeon said: “The impact is devastating for people. It is absolutely heartbreaking.
“This is probably the worst flooding episode that Newton Stewart and much of this region has experienced, for some people, in living memory.
“On the other side of that, the
‘‘ There is a long recovery road ahead for some of the people I have been speaking to
response has been heroic — emergency services, volunteers, members of the public, the council, working together. There is a sense here of real community spirit.
“But there is a long recovery road ahead for some of the people I have been speaking to.”
The rain and gales left thousands of homes without power, with faults caused by wind damage and trees or other debris on the lines.
Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution said more than 100 of its engineers and technical staff were working in Ballater to restore power supplies.
Engineers reconnected supplies to properties overnight, where it was safe to do so, but the severe flooding that hit the village washed away some of the electricity poles.
By lunchtime yesterday, 200 properties were still without power in Ballater, while another 250 were affected in the surrounding areas.
The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay met locals in the town, which is near Balmoral Castle, the Queen’s summer residence.
Residents from some parts of the the flood-hit area were evacuated yesterday, with a rest centre set up at the nearby Victoria Barracks. The senior royals were said to have made a spur-of-the-moment visit to a soup kitchen and barracks.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney also visited the town.
Scotland’s road network was also returning to normal, with the A83 reopening after a 200-tonne landslip closed the road in both directions.
The debris was removed from the carriageway while restraining fences were repaired and reinstated by geotechnical teams, who also assessed the slope for safety before giving the all-clear for traffic again.
Argyll and Bute councillor Douglas Philand, who last year petitioned the Scottish Parliament over the need for a permanent fix to the A83 crisis, has written to the transport minister expressing concern over the latest incident.
Meanwhile, emergency services were called out after two canoeists were swept into the River Garry, near Invergarry.
One of the men managed to guide himself to shore, while the other was taken downstream before being airlifted by the Royal Navy Search and Rescue helicopter R177. Both of the men were taken to Raigmore Hospital.
The Met Office says there will be little respite over the coming days, with a cold front moving in from Canada.
Forecasters have issued yellow “be aware” warning for ice and snow for the Highlands and Western Isles, Grampian, Strathclyde, Central, Tayside and Fife, and Dumfries, Galloway, Lothian and Borders, with the cold snap expected to last until this evening.
This will be followed by fresh rain for the North East and Fife.