More than 150 people attended a public meeting at Huntly last night to learn the lessons from the recent flooding which deluged parts of the town.
First Minister Alex Salmond took his seat among locals and secured a promise from Aberdeenshire Council officials that a full survey into the cause of the floods would be completed by Christmas.
He said the talks, organised by the council, had been a worthwhile step forward: “Things need to move quickly, and I am confident initial action on the survey findings could be taken to alleviate people’s real concerns.”
Many of those taking part in the two-hour meeting at the Gordon Schools lost possessions and saw their homes badly damaged when floodwater swept through the Meadows area of the town earlier this month.
The torrential rain led to a major evacuation of about 100 people, including residents from a care home.
The main cause of the flooding was last night pinpointed as an overflow of the River Deveron on a bend upstream of Huntly, which caused water to surge into the already rain-swollen Meadow Burn.
Some residents have claimed the Meadows area was on the river floodplain and should never have been zoned for housing.
Aberdeenshire Council’s Marr area manager Les Allan, who opened the meeting, said the weather conditions at the time were exceptional.
“One month’s rain fell in just 12 hours, it was 20 times a normal rainfall for November,” he said.
Aberdeenshire Council transportation and infrastructure project manager William Murdoch said a topographical survey would get underway next week, but added: “There is no funding available in the council’s capital plan for major flooding works in Huntly. That is something that would have to be reviewed.
“We can never guarantee there will be no flooding again, we can only do as much as possible to reduce the risk. In early new year we will have information together, and we may have results by Easter.”
Flood Surgery sessions will be held at Huntly every Wednesday over the next six weeks, it was announced last night.
The first event, organised by the Scottish Government funded Scottish Flood Forum, will be from 4.30pm-6pm tomorrow in the town’s Linden Centre, followed by a further session the following Wednesday from 3.30pm-6pm, and two more at the Stewart’s Hall on subsequent Wednesdays from 3.30pm-6pm.
Forum project manager Paul Hendry told residents they would be able to seek advice and information.
“It will take you all time and heartache to get your lives and homes back together again,” he said.
“We are here to help.
“Together we can speak with one voice, and put pressure on the local authority to resolve this issue.”