Town’s flood victims tell of night of hell which left them fearing for their lives
extraordinary tales of bravery emerge as Huntly comes to terms with the devastation left by 12-hour deluge
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Devastated Huntly residents have spoken of their “night of hell” after early-morning floods forced the evacuation of around 100 people.
Extraordinary tales of bravery and loss surfaced yesterday following the flood that brought havoc to the town’s Meadows area.
At the Meadows Care Home in Burnside Road, 40 residents were evacuated. Eight bed-bound people were carried to ambulances and taken to the town’s Jubilee Hospital. Others were taken to a local hotel.
Huntly-based Grampian Fire and Rescue watch officer Gordon Petrie said: “We arrived at the Meadows around 12.45am and it immediately developed into a major flood rescue incident.
“The Meadows burn overflowed and a massive amount of water poured through residential streets and spread to the care home.
“We called for ambulances to help evacuate residents.”
Eleven units, including a specialist swift water rescue team from Elgin, were called as water 5ft deep engulfed streets. Police and coastguard teams helped to pluck stranded people from houses.
There was a dramatic rescue at Sycamore Place, where a disabled couple were trapped in their bungalow.
“It was quite terrifying,” said 82-year-old arthritis sufferer Audrey Brodie. She was hoisted in her chair by firemen and carried through the fast-flowing floodwaters as neighbours looked on from upstairs windows. When she reached safety they cheered.
“I felt like the Queen. But it was scary,” said the grandmother-of-five.
Her 85-year-old husband Alan, who has an oxygen machine to ease his breathing difficulties, was rescued in his pyjamas. The couple have lost all their possessions.
Their daughter-in-law, Mary Brodie, 55, from Waulkmill, Torphins, who was visiting, said: “We closed all the doors in the living room to try to keep out the water, but it kept getting in and was rising above the windows. It was frightening.”
Next door, Fiona Bowden, 50, was trapped in an upstairs bedroom as water swirled through her house. Her volunteer fireman husband Craig, 47, had been called out just before midnight to help with a flooding incident. He was unaware his own home had been hit until his unit arrived at Huntly after 3am.
Mrs Bowden said: “I am proud of him for doing it.
“I was anxious at being alone with the water rising at incredible speed. It was so deep and moving so strongly I just had to wait for help.
“When I reached safety, Craig was there. We just held one another.”
She was comforted yesterday by her daughter Diane Neish, 28, of West Court.
Cancer survivor Raymond Strachan, 55, of 1 Sycamore Place, said: “I phoned 999 at 12.45am as water started to come in. It flooded so quickly, there was nothing I could do but get upstairs.”
Mr Strachan, who is disabled, finally clambered from his spare bedroom window on to the roof of his caravan to get help for his 80-year-old mother, Margaret.
He said: “She lives just around the back, in a sheltered bungalow. I was so worried about her. I tried to get along the back lane but the water was up to my chest.
“All she owns has been ruined, including the photos of my late dad.”
A coastguard inflatable helped him rescue his mother. She joined other evacuees at Huntly Hotel, but was later rushed to Jubilee Hospital after collapsing. Last night she was being cared for by relatives in the Cabrach area.
Yesterday afternoon, First Minister Alex Salmond visited flood victims with Strathbogie and Howe of Alford councillor Joanna Strathdee. At Huntly’s Stewart’s Hall they spoke to residents evacuated from their homes.
One woman said: “It was a night of hell. I have never been so scared in my life. Everything is ruined by water or mud.”
Mr Salmond and the SNP councillor went on to meet families at the Meadows, and fire crews at Huntly.
He said: “Many people in Huntly and across the north-east had a miserable night. My thoughts are with everyone affected by the flooding. In my capacity as MSP for Gordon I stand ready to do everything I can to assist.
“I know Grampian Fire and Rescue is continuing to do everything they can to help people across the north-east, and I would offer them and Aberdeenshire Council a huge thank-you for their hard work over the last 24 hours.”
Ms Strathdee said the damage was heartbreaking. She added: “I know quite a few of the families will not have insurance, so many will have lost just about everything.
“The early indications seem to be that the burn, rather than River Deveron, caused the flooding. While the priority right now has to be to find suitable temporary accommodation for everyone, there will have to be a thorough investigation into how this was able to happen.”
Huntly Castle Park caravan site owner Hugh Ballantyne said his premises had flooded repeatedly – in 1995, 2002, six weeks ago and yesterday.
He said: “I will go hell for leather for Aberdeenshire Council over this. I tried to get action from them before, and warned that the source of this is the state of the burn.
“If they do not tackle it, this will just keep happening.”
Last night Meadows care home owners said only a dozen residents would be able to return immediately. Alternative accommodation is being provided for the others until an assessment of the premises is carried out.
Last night an Aberdeenshire Council spokesman said around 150 staff had worked through the weekend and overnight to help residents.
Crews at all roads depots were on standby again last night to help if needed.
Council chief executive, Colin Mackenzie, said: “Everything possible has been done to provide assistance to residents affected by the heavy rain and flooding.
“Dealing with this volume of rainfall was always going to be a challenge, and I have nothing but praise for staff and our colleagues in the emergency services, those in the voluntary sector and others who rallied to provide support.”
The council’s phone numbers for anyone requiring advice are 08456 081203 for housing issues and 08456 081205 for roads matters.
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