Freuchie Flood Action Group

Our thoughts go out to the people of Perth affected by flooding over the last few hours.

The Perth and Kinross Council website has the following update:

Severe weather and flood warnings

SEPA has issued a flood watch for the Lower Tay and tributaries following heavy rainfall.

There is localised flooding in the Perth and Kinross area due to surface water runoff following the heavy overnight rain. Around 45 mm of rain fell in the Perth area overnight.

There are difficult driving conditions throughout the area due to surface water on roads and localised flooding.

The entry slip road from A85 Dundee Road at Perth to M90 is closed southbound due to flooding at Junction 11, Friarton Bridge. A diversion is in operation – southbound via Kinfauns flyover.

Feus Road in Perth is closed due to flooding. The B898 Dalguise Road is closed at Craignuisq. The road is effectively closed between A9 (T) at Jubilee Bridge and A827 Pitnacree Bridge. A diversion is in place via A9 to Ballinluig and A827.

The A924 Bridge of Cally to Pitlochry, at Tarvie, is closed due to flooding.

Crieff Road Pre-School Centre is closed today due to flooding however arrangements have been made for the Service to be provided today from Goodlyburn Primary School.

The Met Office has also issued a severe weather warning for the area. Rain will be persistent and heavy at times today. The public are advised to take extra care and refer to the latest SEPA Live Flood Warning Information, and also to Traffic Scotland for further advice on road conditions.

Please continue to keep an eye on the situation in your area and listen to local radio and television for further information.

This page will be updated throughout the day if the situation with road closures or flooding changes.

Checkout the BBC online article and the STV news article and video report about the Perth flood.

Technorati Tags: BBC, flooding, Perth, STV

Today’s flooding at Cupar and surrounding areas has been due to blocked trash screens on water courses and the sheer volume of water falling from the sky overwhelming the urban drainage system.

The BBC website is also reporting parts of Perth and Kinross have also been affected by flooding. The news article is here. Milnathort, which has been badly flooded in the past, has once again suffered as the urban drainage system was completely overwhelmed.

Thankfully we have been spared the extremely heavy rainfall that is causing such devastation elsewhere in Scotland today. The story in Freuchie could have been so different if we had seen the same volumes of rainfall! Praise goes to Fife Council who have been around today to check the culvert at Freuchie Mill was clear of obstructions.

Our thoughts do go out to those less fortunate this time around. 

Technorati Tags: Cupar, Fife, Fife Council, flooding, Freuchie, Kinross, Milnathort, Perth

It was one of the happiest days of Kay and Jim’s life when they tied the knot and flew off on honeymoon.  They were truly oblivious to the cruel hand of fate smiting down on Freuchie Mill whilst they were blissfully enjoying the first throngs of married life.

This is Kay’s story in her own words.

My husband and I returned from our honeymoon on 14^th August 2008. When we landed at Heathrow we had no idea of the devastation that awaited us back home. Having taken the decision not to worry us as we were travelling back from Canada, my mother and children had kept the conversations lighthearted and upbeat. I was however starting to worry as I had tried all day to phone home and the line was unavailable. My mother’s line was constantly engaged. I had sent my daughter an email but of course, unknown to me, she couldn’t get it as the pc was under the floodwater! I was relieved when we landed at Heathrow and I was able to speak with my mother who reported that everything was fine!

Anyway, faced with a 2.5 hr turnaround at Heathrow I passed the time by buying a Daily Record. That’s when reality hit us as we turned the pages. I cannot begin to describe the shock and fear we felt at seeing our house and our neighbour’s garden. First reaction, on reading the article was major relief that everyone was ok and safe. We then telephoned my mum again and she was devastated that we had found out this way.

The thing is, no matter how good the holiday, there is always the longing to get back home, catch up with family, have a cup of tea and a sleep in your own bed, all of which we were very much looking forward to.

Somehow we managed to board our flight, looking like walking zombies. My parents were waiting to collect us from Edinburgh airport and take us home. In spite of what we saw in the paper, nothing prepares you for the reality. Faced with no home and no cars and my 18yr old and 16yr old rushing to tell us what happened, we were utterly numb. My son had just bought himself his first car 2 weeks previous, a classic mini – his pride and joy – totally engulfed by floodwater. Devastated.

We were informed Kingdom Housing had arranged for us to stay at The Greenside Hotel in Leslie so we had to spend the night there. Sleep evaded us even though we were jet-lagged. In the morning we went to the offices of Kingdom Housing and asked for alternative accommodation. We were placed in a 2 bedroom caravan at Pettycur Bay. I work in Glenrothes, my husband works in Perth, my son is an apprentice joiner and my daughter is in 5^th year at Bell Baxter HS in Cupar, so this situation was not ideal, but we had no alternative. Thankfully, my husband managed to get a courtesy car for a few weeks to enable us to commute. However my son had to stay with friends closer to his work as the caravan was too small to accommodate him.

The weekend following the flood was spent with friends clearing our things out of the house, wading through the mud and finding storage in various places. Unfortunately, we were not covered by contents insurance as I hadn’t got around to renewing it. Lesson learned.

After 3 weeks at Pettycur we found the situation too stressful to bear (too small/cramped, noisy and uncomfortable) and asked Kingdom if they would accommodate the four of us in a private lett. We were told they wouldn’t do that. They offered us a move to Leven Beach caravan Park on 13^th September with the possibility of a house becoming available to decant into on the 4^th October at The Henge, Glenrothes.

Being faced with living in the caravan for another 6 weeks and my son not being able to live with us during that time, my husband and I took the decision to organise a private lett, funded by ourselves, so at least we could minimise the disruption to us all and be together again as a family.

Like everyone in Freuchie affected by the flooding, our lives have been turned totally upside down and then some. Having had such a wonderful, magical wedding and honeymoon we never dreamed we would come back down to earth with such a devastating bump.

The utter dismay, helplessness, major inconvenience, expense and stress caused by this cannot be put into words. We are trying to stay positive and focus on what’s important (family) but are truly and utterly devastated and very homesick! We’ve lost the home we had put our souls into, (yes property can be rebuilt but it will never be the same), our cars and our day-to-day lives as we knew it.

Putting it all into perspective, we have our family and we are all ok and that’s the main thing. We will overcome!

Kay Henderson, 3 Freuchie Mill

Technorati Tags: Cupar, flooding, Freuchie, Freuchie Mill, Glenrothes, Kingdom Housing Association, Perth