Several severe flood warnings have been put in place across Scotland as wild weather ravages the country.
The Scottish Enivronment Protection Agency (SEPA) issued three flood warnings on December 30 for Sluggan to Dulnain Bridge, Kincraig to Inverdruie and Aviemore / Dafabar due to heavy and prolonged rain expected all night.
Superintendent Jennifer Valentine for Police Scotland advised the public to stay away from areas mentioned due to the hazardous conditions and assured locals there is are multi-agency partners ready to help those in need.
The Met Office has also issued an amber warning for rain, covering Moray and the Highlands, which comes into force on Tuesday at midnight and will expire at 5pm.
The Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGORR) has also been activated in response to the weather warning. First Minister John Swinney is due to chair a meeting of SGORR this evening to review the preparedness for the challenging weather ahead.
A spokesperson for SEPA said: “Three severe flood warnings have been issued for Sluggan to Dulnain Bridge, Kincraig to Inverdruie, and Aviemore/Dalfabar due to heavy and prolonged rainfall expected overnight.
“Very high river levels are forecast in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Extensive river flooding is highly likely, increasing the risk to life, widespread disruption to transport, infrastructure, and property flooding. Remember to follow the advice of emergency responders and do not walk or drive through flood water.”
Superintendent Jennifer Valentine also said: “Following significant and continuing rainfall across the Highlands and Moray, we are dealing with challenging weather conditions, as well as rising river levels, and are asking people to take care.
“We are working hard with a range of multi-agency partners to support communities and those who need our help. Roads across the area are affected by surface water, and overnight we expect a number of roads, particularly around the Aviemore area, will become flooded.”
She continued: “Our advice is to avoid these areas due to hazardous conditions. Please consider if your journey is really necessary or if it can be delayed until conditions improve. Stopping distances can be at least double on wet roads compared to dry conditions, and spray can reduce driver visibility.
“If you need to travel, please drive to the conditions, take extra time for your journey, and find alternative routes if needed. Please do not ignore closed signs – they are in place for your safety. Follow your local authority for the latest updates in your area as well as police, the Met Office website, SEPA and Traffic Scotland.”
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