North-east hit hard by floods after rivers burst banks

Heavy rain and melting snow caused the River Dee and other waterways to burst their banks this weekend, causing flooding throughout Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

A number of roads were shut throughout the north-east as a result of the weather, including the A93 Ballater to Braemar route, which was closed between Braemar and Crathie.

Floods were also reported in the Hatton of Fintray, Kintore, and Kemnay areas.
In Aberdeen, a huge patch of grass beside the River Dee at Riverside Drive was left underwater.

Meanwhile, drivers were told not to cross Maryculter Bridge and Milltimber Brae between North and South Deeside roads as the river got perilously close to the structure and caused flooding in the area.

And at Aboyne, the community’s Co-op supermarket was shut after the car park was submerged in water.

Locals looked on as the fire service used a pump to extract the water into a nearby field.

And further west in Ballater, sand bags and flood gates lined many doors in the community as the village, which experienced catastrophe during Storm Frank in 2015, prepared for the worst.

But thankfully, the impact was not as severe as previous disasters, and just one property next to the River Dee had to be evacuated on Saturday night.

The pensioners who live in the property were taken to spend the evening in the village’s Victoria Halls, and returned yesterday morning to find their home to be safe and dry – thanks to work they carried out on the property after Storm Frank.

Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside councillor Peter Argyle said the water levels were nothing like the downpour of Storm Frank.

He said: “It has been a difficult week. We’ve had all of SEPA’s warnings over the last few days and they have proved to be accurate.

“From what I’ve heard the response of the council and other agencies has been brilliant. The community has rallied round quite well.

“Storm Frank is part of the community memory and there was a degree of worry about the flooding. It is always at the forefront of people’s minds.

“There was flooding but nothing like we have seen in the past.”

Peterculter Golf Club was also hit by flooding, many areas of the course left underwater.

Club captain Trevor Grose reassured locals that the course is fine, with the design of it being water drains off quite quickly.

He said: “When the ground has been frozen solid for about a month, and with a few days of heavy rain, it has caused quite large volumes of water to come onto the lower part of the course.

“These holes are right beside the River Dee so we do get floods occasionally, although this one is a bit more severe than usual.

“We don’t expect it to have a major effect on playing, and if it stays dry we should be fully open again in a few days.

“The upper holes are still open for play.”