Stonehaven flooding was a 'once-in-200-years event'

THE November floods which devastated homes in the Aberdeenshirelitiste town of Stonehaven were the result of a once-in-200-years event, according to a council report.

But the damage caused to properties may also have been affected by a build-up of debris which blocked the drainage system in the town.

More than 80 homes and businesses in the centre of Stonehaven were badly flooded when the River Carron burst its banks on 1 November after days of torrential rain.

In a report on the flooding, due to go before a meeting of the council's Kincardine and Mearns area committee next week, Willie Munro, the area manager, states that the flooding happened after more than 50 millimetres of rain – two thirds the monthly average rainfall – fell in just 13 hours on ground already saturated, following a fortnight of exceptionally wet weather.

Mr Munro said: "It is now acknowledged that the rainfall, coupled with existing saturation, was a one in 200 year event."

A spokeswoman for Aberdeenshire Council said yesterday: "Investigations are on-going to lessen the risk of flooding in the future."