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| Scottish communities prepare for more floods | Scottish communities prepare for more floods |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Warnings of high rivers and large coastal waves have been issued as persistent wind and rain batter parts of Scotland. | Warnings of high rivers and large coastal waves have been issued as persistent wind and rain batter parts of Scotland. |
| The Met Office has issued amber "be prepared" warnings of rain for much of north east and central Scotland on Sunday and Monday. | The Met Office has issued amber "be prepared" warnings of rain for much of north east and central Scotland on Sunday and Monday. |
| They cover Grampian, Tayside, central Scotland and Fife until Monday night. | They cover Grampian, Tayside, central Scotland and Fife until Monday night. |
| The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued more than 30 flood warnings. | The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued more than 30 flood warnings. |
| The warnings, which mean flooding is expected, are mostly for the Tayside, Angus, and Dundee areas, as well as Aberdeen and Ballater in Aberdeenshire. | The warnings, which mean flooding is expected, are mostly for the Tayside, Angus, and Dundee areas, as well as Aberdeen and Ballater in Aberdeenshire. |
| Sepa has now added the Scottish Borders to its list of alerts, where flooding is possible, bringing the number of alerts to four. | Sepa has now added the Scottish Borders to its list of alerts, where flooding is possible, bringing the number of alerts to four. |
| They come as Scotland continues to clean up after Storm Frank hit on Wednesday. | They come as Scotland continues to clean up after Storm Frank hit on Wednesday. |
| Vincent Fitzsimons, Sepa's hydrology duty manager, said: "Rivers have been rising since Saturday and flood warnings have been issued. | Vincent Fitzsimons, Sepa's hydrology duty manager, said: "Rivers have been rising since Saturday and flood warnings have been issued. |
| "It's important to note that the rain is less intense but more prolonged than during Storm Frank. | "It's important to note that the rain is less intense but more prolonged than during Storm Frank. |
| "This means that rivers will rise more slowly but then stay high for much longer - from Sunday through till Tuesday. The peak for most areas will be on Sunday night and Monday morning." | "This means that rivers will rise more slowly but then stay high for much longer - from Sunday through till Tuesday. The peak for most areas will be on Sunday night and Monday morning." |
| Mr Fitzsimons said river levels in the north east were of most concern, including those around Kintore, Inverurie, Brechin and Aberdeen, but the agency was also keeping a close eye on communities in the Borders and Caithness. | Mr Fitzsimons said river levels in the north east were of most concern, including those around Kintore, Inverurie, Brechin and Aberdeen, but the agency was also keeping a close eye on communities in the Borders and Caithness. |
| River levels in parts of Angus are predicted to peak late on Monday morning to a similar level to which they did during Storm Frank. | River levels in parts of Angus are predicted to peak late on Monday morning to a similar level to which they did during Storm Frank. |
| Angus Council said residents beside the River South Esk in Brechin should put door guards and sand bags in place and said there was the potential for surface water issues behind the new flood protection which is currently under construction. | Angus Council said residents beside the River South Esk in Brechin should put door guards and sand bags in place and said there was the potential for surface water issues behind the new flood protection which is currently under construction. |
| A Met Office spokesman said: "Over the period ending late Monday, many areas look like receiving a further 40-80 mm of rain, with some of the high ground receiving 100-150 mm - this in addition to that which has fallen over the previous 24 hours. | A Met Office spokesman said: "Over the period ending late Monday, many areas look like receiving a further 40-80 mm of rain, with some of the high ground receiving 100-150 mm - this in addition to that which has fallen over the previous 24 hours. |
| "However, this looks like being fairly evenly spread out, which should slightly ease the resulting impacts. | "However, this looks like being fairly evenly spread out, which should slightly ease the resulting impacts. |
| "Given the saturated nature of the ground, there is a greater risk of surface water and river flooding than might normally be expected." | "Given the saturated nature of the ground, there is a greater risk of surface water and river flooding than might normally be expected." |
| Train disruption | Train disruption |
| A number of roads remain closed in Perthshire, Angus and Aberdeenshire while others have been affected by surface water. | A number of roads remain closed in Perthshire, Angus and Aberdeenshire while others have been affected by surface water. |
| And Network Rail said trains on the west coast mainline were expected to be disrupted for a number of weeks as work to repair the damaged Lamington Viaduct is likely to continue until the end of January. | And Network Rail said trains on the west coast mainline were expected to be disrupted for a number of weeks as work to repair the damaged Lamington Viaduct is likely to continue until the end of January. |
| Phil Verster, managing director of Network Rail Scotland, said: "Our engineers have been working round the clock for the past few days, in extremely difficult conditions, to try and gain access to the viaduct so that we can understand the scale of the damage that has been caused by Storm Frank. | Phil Verster, managing director of Network Rail Scotland, said: "Our engineers have been working round the clock for the past few days, in extremely difficult conditions, to try and gain access to the viaduct so that we can understand the scale of the damage that has been caused by Storm Frank. |
| "While that assessment work is not yet fully complete, it is clear now that the damage is significant. | "While that assessment work is not yet fully complete, it is clear now that the damage is significant. |
| "We are already working on solutions as to how we get the viaduct fixed and allow us to safely run trains over it again. | "We are already working on solutions as to how we get the viaduct fixed and allow us to safely run trains over it again. |
| "However, it is likely that it will take us to the end of January until we can reopen it." | "However, it is likely that it will take us to the end of January until we can reopen it." |
| Rockets fired | Rockets fired |
| The RNLI was drafted in on Saturday evening to help restore electricity supplies to Ballater which has been without power since the storm. | The RNLI was drafted in on Saturday evening to help restore electricity supplies to Ballater which has been without power since the storm. |
| Despite heavy winds and driving rain, Aberdeen RNLI volunteers Bill Deans and Calum Reed used rockets to fire a cord which was used to restore the power line across the River Dee at the Cambus O' May at the A93. | |
| Scottish Hydro engineers were then able to connect up the wires and restore some power to the area. | Scottish Hydro engineers were then able to connect up the wires and restore some power to the area. |
| Insp Simon Reid said: "We would ask the public to be mindful of road closures. "If roads are closed they are closed for a reason. They are there for safety. Please be sensible, adhere to them and don't put yourselves or others at risk." | Insp Simon Reid said: "We would ask the public to be mindful of road closures. "If roads are closed they are closed for a reason. They are there for safety. Please be sensible, adhere to them and don't put yourselves or others at risk." |
| A cable damaged by Storm Frank led to the loss of the telephone service, including 999 calls, in Braemar and Crathie. | A cable damaged by Storm Frank led to the loss of the telephone service, including 999 calls, in Braemar and Crathie. |
| Work has been carried out to repair the cable and BT and the Red Cross have provided temporary cover through communication vehicles in those areas. | Work has been carried out to repair the cable and BT and the Red Cross have provided temporary cover through communication vehicles in those areas. |
| What have we done to make the flooding worse? | What have we done to make the flooding worse? |
| Ch Insp Richard Craig said: "Police are continuing to visit vulnerable people in Braemar, Crathie and Ballater and have officers within Braemar Police Station. | Ch Insp Richard Craig said: "Police are continuing to visit vulnerable people in Braemar, Crathie and Ballater and have officers within Braemar Police Station. |
| "Anyone requiring the emergency services is advised to speak to an officer at the police station or utilise the communication vehicles. | "Anyone requiring the emergency services is advised to speak to an officer at the police station or utilise the communication vehicles. |
| "We will continue to have officers patrolling in these areas and maintain contact with vulnerable people until the telephone lines have been fixed." | "We will continue to have officers patrolling in these areas and maintain contact with vulnerable people until the telephone lines have been fixed." |
| Scottish Labour's environmental justice spokeswoman, Sarah Boyack, has called for an "urgent review" of flood defences in Scotland's 32 local authority areas. | Scottish Labour's environmental justice spokeswoman, Sarah Boyack, has called for an "urgent review" of flood defences in Scotland's 32 local authority areas. |
| She said: "When the SNP removed direct support for flooding I argued against it but they went ahead anyway. I was concerned as they included funding for flood risk in the general local government settlement regardless of flood investment need. | She said: "When the SNP removed direct support for flooding I argued against it but they went ahead anyway. I was concerned as they included funding for flood risk in the general local government settlement regardless of flood investment need. |
| "Given that we know there is more bad weather on the way, the SNP need to think again about the proposal to cut Sepa's budget. | "Given that we know there is more bad weather on the way, the SNP need to think again about the proposal to cut Sepa's budget. |
| "There needs to be an urgent review by all local authorities of their flood defences and the SNP government will need to make good on the promise made by the first minister to provide extra financial resources where they are needed." | "There needs to be an urgent review by all local authorities of their flood defences and the SNP government will need to make good on the promise made by the first minister to provide extra financial resources where they are needed." |
| A Scottish government spokeswoman said: "Flood defences are kept under continual review, particularly after major incidents such as those we are experiencing this winter. | A Scottish government spokeswoman said: "Flood defences are kept under continual review, particularly after major incidents such as those we are experiencing this winter. |
| "The Scottish government provides funding every year through the local government settlement for local authorities to continue to invest in new flood protection schemes. | "The Scottish government provides funding every year through the local government settlement for local authorities to continue to invest in new flood protection schemes. |
| "We have provided £42m every year since 2008 to enable local authorities to invest in flood protection schemes." | "We have provided £42m every year since 2008 to enable local authorities to invest in flood protection schemes." |
| The spokeswoman added that last month's budget statement provided an extra £4m for local authorities worst hit by Storm Desmond and flooding earlier this year and said The Bellwin Scheme, activated on 31 December, made extra financial assistance available to help councils deal with the cost of flood damage. | The spokeswoman added that last month's budget statement provided an extra £4m for local authorities worst hit by Storm Desmond and flooding earlier this year and said The Bellwin Scheme, activated on 31 December, made extra financial assistance available to help councils deal with the cost of flood damage. |
| The Scottish government's resilience committee met again on Sunday to assess the situation. | The Scottish government's resilience committee met again on Sunday to assess the situation. |
| Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: "People will be returning to work in the coming days and all services are working together to make sure the unusually high levels of rain that we are seeing cause as little disruption as possible. | Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: "People will be returning to work in the coming days and all services are working together to make sure the unusually high levels of rain that we are seeing cause as little disruption as possible. |
| "On the transport network, the main issue continues to be the west coast and Highland mainlines and the rail industry is doing all it can to get these operational again following Storm Frank." | "On the transport network, the main issue continues to be the west coast and Highland mainlines and the rail industry is doing all it can to get these operational again following Storm Frank." |
| Police are advising people to stay away from already flooded areas. | Police are advising people to stay away from already flooded areas. |
| Due to the weather warnings, Aberdeen City Council closed Duthie Park car park to vehicles on Saturday and people were asked to park vehicles away from areas near rivers. | Due to the weather warnings, Aberdeen City Council closed Duthie Park car park to vehicles on Saturday and people were asked to park vehicles away from areas near rivers. |
| The A93 between Ballater and Braemar remains closed after part of the road was washed away and the Invercauld Bridge is expected to remain closed to vehicles for a number of weeks. | The A93 between Ballater and Braemar remains closed after part of the road was washed away and the Invercauld Bridge is expected to remain closed to vehicles for a number of weeks. |
| Police have warned people who are thinking of going out on rivers that water levels remain high in some areas and it is likely that debris from the recent flooding is still in the water. | Police have warned people who are thinking of going out on rivers that water levels remain high in some areas and it is likely that debris from the recent flooding is still in the water. |
| A kayaker and a canoeist died in separate incidents in northern Scotland after the storm hit. | A kayaker and a canoeist died in separate incidents in northern Scotland after the storm hit. |
| Wednesday's heavy rain and gale-force winds left many people stranded, in temporary accommodation and without electricity, and also prompted the most severe "danger to life" flood warnings to be issued. | Wednesday's heavy rain and gale-force winds left many people stranded, in temporary accommodation and without electricity, and also prompted the most severe "danger to life" flood warnings to be issued. |
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