Flood water has poured into Garmouth as the River Spey swamped the village and golf course following days of heavy rain.
Anxious residents began stacking sand bags outside their homes on Monday evening after weather warnings were issued.
Yesterday torrents rushed through the village streets while pumps attempted to keep the water from submerged gardens away from doors.
Locals pointed to a separate flood in recent months breaching an embankment, causing the water to divert towards Garmouth over the golf course.
Resident Nigel Sanderson, who helped coordinate the community response, joked the process of stacking sandbags had become “routine” for him and his neighbours.
He said: “We had a couple of years without much but now it has returned, the river seems to have changed a bit, it’s reacting a bit quicker.
“We moved here 27 years ago and there’s a house that was 100 metres from the river at the time, it’s an island today because of the erosion over the years.”
Another resident said: “I’ve stayed here five years and it’s the sixth flood we’ve had during that time.
“I’ve got a bag packed at the door so I can leave at a moment’s notice. The anxiety is the worst thing, it’s kept me awake at night.”
Staff from Moray Council were in Garmouth yesterday to monitor the flood situation while water poured into the village from the golf course.
Flooding also caused train services between Keith and Forres to be suspended for several hours after a river burst its banks.
Meanwhile, Moray Council hailed £180million flood defences, which were funded with the Scottish Government, for protecting communities in Elgin, Forres, Lhanbryde and Rothes from rising water.
Some parts of Cooper Park and the Morriston playing fields in Elgin did become submerged during the day as part of the protection plans.
A council spokesman said: “Without the scheme properties at Lesmurdie, Kingsmills and Grampian Road in Elgin would have flooded today.
“The relief channel at Kingsmills, without which water levels would have been significantly higher, is working well and protecting a large number of homes.”
Council leader Graham Leadbitter said: “The substantial investment in flood schemes in Moray has already prevented tens of millions in damages during previous high river levels and the recent prolonged heavy rain has been well contained by the schemes.”
