About 40 caravans have been evacuated from Ballater Caravan Park as residents brace for “severe flooding” due to torrential rain.
Rivers were seen running through the Aberdeenshire village like “forceful streams”, with a number of roads “completely drowning in water”.
Earlier today, Sepa issued the highest level of flood warning for Ballater – as well as four other Aberdeenshire areas – warning of water levels similar to Storm Frank in 2015.
A number of major roads have been closed to vehicles due to the weather, with persistent heavy rain expected to continue sweeping across the region until 9pm.
Residents in Ballater, who were one of the worst hit communities during Storm Frank, have already started putting out sandbags across the village in fear for their homes.
Victoria Hall has also opened doors to offer a warm space and hot drinks to those who might be worried or concerned about severe flooding.
Ballater Caravan Park fully evacuated
Staff at Ballater Caravan Park put up a warning to all residents on site at around 11am, when water started building up.
Around 40 caravans were moved to Victoria Road and Abergeldie Road shortly after.
Thanks to my friend Ellie Kinghorn from Ballater who has just sent this in. Sadly looks like the river has started to flood streets in Ballater @SeanBattyTV @philippetrieTV @EastScotland_Wx @BBCScotWeather @BBCScotWeather @highlandweather @BenPhilip_ @BBCNorthEast pic.twitter.com/TQh5Nln71U
— Braemar, Ballater and Deeside Weather Page (@Alonso2012F) November 18, 2022
Susan Paton, warden at Ballater Caravan Park, said bookings for next week, which was supposed to be the last this season, will also be cancelled.
She added: “It was about 11am when water started to come in from the golf course and there was only a small section affected. But then it just started coming up really quickly.
“It has stayed like this for the last few hours, but there is water flowing around buildings in a way you would not believe. There is water everywhere.
“All of the caravans have now been moved off and Victoria Hall is open for them, so they could keep warm and get a hot cup of tea, and be nice and cosy.
“We learned many lessons from Storm Frank so we had a resilience plan ready to go. At least this has been gradual, while Storm Frank happened very, very quickly.”
Water flowing like ‘forceful stream’
Rivers across the region, including River Dee and River Muick, have already burst their banks, with water “higher than it has been for about 30 years” in some places.
Stretches of the road between Aberdeen and Ballater were completely flooded, with fields all across Deeside seen covered in water.
With rivers expected to reach peak levels in the early hours of Saturday morning, Anne Reid, from Ballater, fears homes at the lower level of the village could experience the same flooding as in Storm Frank.
She said: “The water is running through Ballater as a forceful stream at the moment. There are rivers and rivers of water coming down from the hill.
“It’s looking pretty bleak. And as the rivers keep rising, some houses – especially at the lower level of the village – will definitely be at risk of flooding.
“My driveway has got as much water in as it did back in Storm Frank.
“My partner called earlier and said he hasn’t seen anything like this before and he’s been building bridges for 30 years.”
Milton of Crathes flooded
Meanwhile, businesses in Milton of Crathes also bore the worst of the adverse weather today – with images showing the River Dee bursting out of crate near Banchory.
Co-owner of the Hidden Scotland shop at Milton of Crathes, Jack Cairney, shared videos of the premises flooded with several inches of rainfall.
The footage shows the built-up water reaching nearly the top of the bins outside, while tables inside the shop float in massive puddles.
Conversation