The last time Dallas experienced such severe flooding was in 1945 when World War II was still being fought.
The Moray village was completely cut off for several hours on Monday as the main street was turned into a river.
The devastation caused took everyone by surprise.
Duncan Garrow, 71, of Main Steet, said: “We were very fortunate. We had no real serious damage in the house but the pavements are the problem.
“I’ve been here since 1950, and I have never seen the water run like that. My son tried to come up from Forres to help but he couldn’t get here. It was pretty desperate.”
Rob Matthews, who lives nearby, said: “My wife phoned SEPA just before 8am and they said they didn’t know about the flood and at 10am we got a flood warning.
“We had water under the building but we didn’t actually get it in the house. It ran around the house from the fields and into the street. We were worried but not like the houses on Main Street, which are virtually level with the pavement.”
Across at Brewery Bridge in Elgin, councillor Barry Jarvis spent a number of hours with worried residents watching contractors combat the rising water levels.
He said: “Monday was another hard worrying day for many who live in the path of the River Lossie. There is no doubt in my mind that many of those residents not flooded out owe the contractors and the other countless individuals involved in the response a debt of gratitude for their actions.
“It is regrettable, however, that there were a considerable number of those in areas not included as part of schemes who suffered considerable damage. It is important that the council works with these residents and relevant authorities to improve drainage and identify the other issues that have contributed to the problem in these areas.
“It would be all too easy to look at the robust defence put up by the flood scheme not only in Elgin but other areas and think that our job is done but we still need to do work in areas still suffering to ensure that we continue to do everything we can to help all those affected by flooding in Moray.”