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Flood misery across the Highlands as River Ness banks burst

Flood waters of the River Beauly pour over the Kilmorack dam yesterday morning
Flood waters of the River Beauly pour over the Kilmorack dam yesterday morning

Melting snow and torrential rain led to record-breaking river levels and flooding problems across the north this weekend.

The Met Office recorded more than eight inches of rain in just 48 hours as the region was battered by storms.

Low-lying homes in Inverness were flooded as the River Ness burst its banks, while residents of a caravan park near Beauly had to be rescued by firefighters as several feet of water swept through.

The A87 was closed for several hours after a landslide dislodged 100 tonnes of debris onto the road near the Cluanie Inn between Kyle and Invermoriston.

And a crofting club lost 14 sheep, including some expectant mothers, after the River Spean burst its banks on Saturday afternoon.

The flooding followed an amber weather warning for torrential rain in the Great Glen – and Met Office forecasters are warning that winds of up to 80mph could batter the north-west Highlands today.

A further yellow weather warning has been issued, covering the north and north-east for Monday and into Tuesday morning.

The River Ness in Inverness reached its highest point for many years at high tide yesterday afternoon
The River Ness in Inverness reached its highest point for many years at high tide yesterday afternoon

The Scottish Environmenal Protection Agency (Sepa) revealed that a number of north river systems had broken long standing records, leading to the flooding problems.

One of the most highly affected rivers was the Beauly, which reached it’s highest level in 25 years.

Campers and residents at the Lovat Bridge Caravan Park were evacuated and an elderly couple had to be rescued by firefighters in a swift response boat after the river burst its banks.

Alan Cadden, 61, is a permanent resident at a lodge on the campsite.

He and his Newfoundland dog Brech were among those asked to move out as the water levels began to rise.

He said: “It was about 1am that we first noticed it, it was one of the boys staying in a tent that saw what was happening first and got everyone round.

“We’ve had the emergency services here and they’ve decided the best thing is to evacuate the park.

“I’m an angler so I’m ok because I’ve got the chest waders and all of the kit but it’s a real problem for some of the people.

“We do sometimes get a bit of flooding at the bottom end of the park because it is next to the river. I’ve never seen it quite this bad though.”

The River Ness also reached its second highest level in 43 years of record-keeping – proving a stern test of the new flood alleviation scheme in the city centre.

However, some homes further up the river at Island Bank Road and Ladies Bank were flooded.

Homes at The Riggs in Fort Augustus were also affected.

Firefighters used sandbags in order to try and prevent any further problems.

The River Ness in Inverness reached its highest point for many years at high tide yesterday afternoon
The River Ness in Inverness reached its highest point for many years at high tide yesterday afternoon

Loch Ness itself was unusually high because of conditions.

Nessie hunter Steve Feltham, who lives in a former mobile library at the Dores Inn car park, found himself marooned by the rising water on Sunday.

He said: “It’s been a bit hairy you could say, I’ve effectively become an island.

“The van hasn’t moved in about 12 years so there’s no way that I could get to higher ground.

“I’ve not seen the loch quite this high in all the time I’ve been here.

“There’s not a great deal I can do about it unfortunately but it’s definitely not a good position to be in.”

The weather caused widespread disruption on the roads.

Bear Scotland worked to remove debris from the A87 following the landslip.

Last night, the road had been partially reopened under temporary traffic lights.

The A831 between Drumnadrochit and Cannich was also closed throughout the day due to flooding.

However, tragedy struck after flooding from the River Spean as 14 sheep belonging to the Galmore Sheep Stock Club were carried away by the water.

Head shepherd Brian Strachan was forced to watch as his flock were caught in the tumult.

He said: “There were ewes carrying lambs in there. I called the fire brigade and told them they would need a boat.

“But one of the sheep got restless and walked off and the rest followed.

“They’ve all been drowned.”