Care home residents evacuated as floods continue to hit north of Scotland

ALMOST 50 elderly residents were rescued from a flood-threatened care home after torrential rain continued to sweep through the Highlands and north-east of Scotland.

Red Cross staff moved 46 people out of The Meadows care home in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, as the water level of the nearby River Deveron became dangerously high.

Volunteers and vehicles from Aberdeen and Elgin were drafted in to help the Red Cross team move the residents to other homes and to Huntly’s Jubilee Hospital.

It is the second time in under a year that The Meadows has been evacuated because of the threat of the Deveron bursting its banks.

The Highlands and the north-east of Scotland have seen widespread flooding thanks to a deluge of rain in the past three days.

Flood alerts remain in place for parts of Dundee, Angus and the Borders. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency also issued a flood alert for Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen city, Findhorn, Nairn, Moray and Speyside.

Particular concern was raised for the Meadows area of Huntly and low-lying areas of Turriff.

Philip McKay, Aberdeenshire Council’s head of roads and landscape services, said: “We have officers on the ground monitoring the situation closely at the moment, and we do have concerns about the water levels in some areas.

“Those who have previously been affected by flooding in the Huntly area should be particularly vigilant and take steps to prepare.

“The council is working on the ground with colleagues from Grampian Fire and Rescue Service and Grampian Police and is providing support locally. But residents should take all reasonable precautions.”

Chief Inspector Colin Walker said: “We are working closely with our partners to monitor the situation and would encourage members of the public to be vigilant at this time.”

Parts of Inverness are flooded and a section of the A9 was closed southbound for about three hours after heavy rain during the weekend.

Organisers of the Belladrum music festival, near Beauly in the Highlands, also enlisted the Red Cross to give shelter to stricken campers after torrential rain.

Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service said they had 17 call-outs for flooding over Saturday and Sunday.

Between 6pm yesterday and 6am today the largest amount of rain in Scotland fell on Wick, 19mm, followed by Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire, 18mm. Kinloss in Moray got 10mm and Lossiemouth saw 11mm.

Aisling Creevey, a forecaster at MeteoGroup, said: “There were pretty impressive rainfall totals over the weekend and through to this morning in Scotland. The heaviest rain fell in the north-east in Scotland overnight but it was not particularly unusual for this time of year.

“There are showers in the north-east and the Highlands today but they should die out as the day goes on. Likewise for the Borders. everything will die out and slip southwards. And it is quite a breezy day.

“Tomorrow should be quite dry but more heavy downpours are expected from Wednesday morning.”

In Scotland on Saturday the south-east saw most of the wet weather, with 27mm falling on Carterhouse in the Borders between 6am to 6pm.

Between 6pm on Saturday and 6am on Sunday Braemer had the most rainfall, 28mm, and between 6am and 6pm on Sunday Lossiemouth had the most, 25mm.