Scotland’s weather: ‘Niagara Falls in East Neuk… the weather’s crazy’

RAIN is expected to continue across parts of Scotland today after persistent downpours caused widespread flooding along the east coast, closing roads and trapping people in cars and homes.

Nearly half of October’s average rain has fallen in some areas since Thursday night, with a Met Office amber warning remaining in force for rain.

There were also 35 flood warnings operating last night, including 24 across Tayside, where the Scottish Environment Protection Agency said “immediate action” was required because of expected flooding.

Fife, Tayside and Aberdeenshire were the areas worst hit yesterday, with water washing away part of a house and a road at Dura Den in the East Neuk, creating 20ft holes and trapping five people in their homes.

One 60-year-old resident, named only as Jean, said water rushing down the street had sounded like the “Niagara Falls”.

She said: “I woke up at 1:30am as a neighbour called me to tell me water was coming up to my door. It was very scary. I had 4in of water that came into my house.

“Half of the road was dropped off – there is about a 20ft to 40ft drop where it has just fallen away. A whole section of the house next to the road has been washed away as well – the water has just taken it.”

In nearby Pitscottie, the Red Cross was called to evacuate people from their homes, some of which had partially collapsed due to the amount of water.

The Lomond Centre in Glenrothes, which provides community and sports facilities, was flooded with 3ft of water.

Fife Fire and Rescue said it had received “numerous” callouts. Motorists rescued included a woman and her dog whose car was stuck in 3ft of water at
Colinsburgh in Fife. Another driver needed help in Elie.

Roads closed included the A955, A915 and A917 in north-east Fife, the A92 at Monifieth near Dundee and the A937 at Marykirk in Aberdeenshire. A landslide shut one lane of the A9 at Slochd, south of Inverness, which came hours after an overturned caravan closed the road at Luncarty, north of Perth.

Tayside Police described driving conditions as “challenging”, with water covering several roads as the rain “stubbornly remains”.

One motorist said: “The weather has been absolutely crazy and the rain just keeps coming – we just don’t know when it is going to stop.”

In Bridgefoot, near Dundee, ducks were spotted swimming alongside cars on the road.

There was a major flood alert in Stonehaven where the River Carron burst its banks three years ago, causing devastation. Residents in the harbour area were issued with sandbags and floodgates for their doors, and temporary flood barriers were erected in several streets.

Flooding disrupted trains, closing the Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh line at Loch Garve. Trains also had to slow to 5mph through flooded tracks at various points.