Moray’s road and rail networks were plunged into chaos yesterday after becoming swamped following more than a day of relentless rainfall.
Commuters faced frantic journeys to work as trains were cancelled in the morning due to water on the line west of Elgin and at Keith.
Trains heading into Moray from Inverness had to stop at Forres for the duration of the day, with passengers having to arrange alternative transport in order to venture any further.
And services heading from Aberdeen were terminated at Keith.
Scotrail sent engineers to the affected parts of the track to monitor the situation throughout the day.
A spokesman said the firm had been “doing all it could” to keep customers moving by laying on replacement bus services.
Meanwhile, roads all over the county became dangerous as they brimmed with surface water.
During the afternoon, six people and two dogs had to be rescued from their flood-hit cars near Forres.
The alarm was raised at 1.47pm when the two vehicles got caught by the effects of a burst bank along the road between Forres and Dyke.
Firemen and coastguard rescue teams from Nairn and Burghead attended and rescued the stranded motorists and animals.
A spokeswoman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the six suffered no serious injuries.
The B9104 road to Spey Bay was closed as the River Spey crept upwards throughout the morning.
The torrential downpour also caused a landslip along the A941 road outside Rothes, while the road from Elgin to Miltonduff was left swamped.
The B9018 Keith to Cullen road was closed off in the morning, with several sections under water.
The footbridge over the River Lossie at the rear of the Moray Leisure Centre was also closed, due to surface water on one side making it impassable.
Mosstowie, Crossroads, Rothiemay and Dallas primary schools were all shut due to the weather.