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| Floods declared a major incident | Floods declared a major incident |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Police have declared the flooding in the Highlands as a major incident. | Police have declared the flooding in the Highlands as a major incident. |
| Heavy rain has impacted across the region and Northern Constabulary has listed 15 of the worst affected areas - including stretches of the A9. | Heavy rain has impacted across the region and Northern Constabulary has listed 15 of the worst affected areas - including stretches of the A9. |
| In Dingwall, flood water lapped at the windows of cars in the police car park and water poured down the High Street. | In Dingwall, flood water lapped at the windows of cars in the police car park and water poured down the High Street. |
| Coastguard crews have also been evacuating residents from their homes and children and elderly people have been taken to Dingwall Academy. | |
| There are fears high tides at 1300 BST will worsen conditions for Dingwall, where water is already up to 4ft in some parts of the town. | There are fears high tides at 1300 BST will worsen conditions for Dingwall, where water is already up to 4ft in some parts of the town. |
| Local councillor and Dingwall resident Margaret Paterson said: "This is just so distressing and there are so many people who don't know where to turn to. | |
| It has been some of the heaviest continuous rain I can remember in 70 years Ken HumphreysRoss-shire farmer Your Pictures: Flooding | It has been some of the heaviest continuous rain I can remember in 70 years Ken HumphreysRoss-shire farmer Your Pictures: Flooding |
| "Their homes are flooding and some have moved upstairs. We have tried to get people out of their homes. | "Their homes are flooding and some have moved upstairs. We have tried to get people out of their homes. |
| "Elderly and young children have been taken up to Dingwall Academy." | "Elderly and young children have been taken up to Dingwall Academy." |
| Golspie and Fortrose are also affected. | Golspie and Fortrose are also affected. |
| Highland and Islands Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Ambulance Service, Highland Council and roads agency Transerv are involved. | Highland and Islands Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Ambulance Service, Highland Council and roads agency Transerv are involved. |
| Firefighters in Easter Ross are trying to divert water away from homes after overnight floods. | Firefighters in Easter Ross are trying to divert water away from homes after overnight floods. |
| More than a foot of water is reported to have affected the village of Evanton, with a minor landslide nearby and some flooding in Dingwall. | More than a foot of water is reported to have affected the village of Evanton, with a minor landslide nearby and some flooding in Dingwall. |
| The Met Office has issued a heavy rain warning for the Highlands, Moray, Aberdeenshire and the Northern Isles. | The Met Office has issued a heavy rain warning for the Highlands, Moray, Aberdeenshire and the Northern Isles. |
| Flooding on the High Street in Evanton, sent in by Alice Snow | Flooding on the High Street in Evanton, sent in by Alice Snow |
| Police in Dingwall said water had reached up to the roofs of cars in some places. | Police in Dingwall said water had reached up to the roofs of cars in some places. |
| Lorries are parked at a roundabout and cars are in lay-bys at the Cromarty Bridge waiting for the road to be reopened. | Lorries are parked at a roundabout and cars are in lay-bys at the Cromarty Bridge waiting for the road to be reopened. |
| Some motorists have been waiting at the scene since 0645 BST. | Some motorists have been waiting at the scene since 0645 BST. |
| Gavin Phillips, a supermarket duty manager, was trying to get to work in Alness but only got as far as crossing the Cromarty Bridge before he was caught in a traffic jam. | Gavin Phillips, a supermarket duty manager, was trying to get to work in Alness but only got as far as crossing the Cromarty Bridge before he was caught in a traffic jam. |
| He said: "When I got here it was still dark and it looked like a traffic jam. The headlights of the traffic stretched all the way back over the bridge." | He said: "When I got here it was still dark and it looked like a traffic jam. The headlights of the traffic stretched all the way back over the bridge." |
| Linda McCulloch was also trying to reach Alness. She said: "I'm trying to get home. | Linda McCulloch was also trying to reach Alness. She said: "I'm trying to get home. |
| "The police advised anyone whose journey was not necessary to turn back. There was a livestock lorry here and it had to turn back because the sheep were getting distressed." | |
| Traffic waiting for the A9 near the Cromarty Bridge to reopen | Traffic waiting for the A9 near the Cromarty Bridge to reopen |
| A landslide has also closed the rail line between Dingwall and Thurso and Caledonian MacBrayne has cancelled the Ullapool to Stornoway ferry until Friday. | A landslide has also closed the rail line between Dingwall and Thurso and Caledonian MacBrayne has cancelled the Ullapool to Stornoway ferry until Friday. |
| Ken Humphreys, who runs a hill farm on the back road between Dingwall and Evanton, told the BBC Scotland news website that he had been virtually cut off. | Ken Humphreys, who runs a hill farm on the back road between Dingwall and Evanton, told the BBC Scotland news website that he had been virtually cut off. |
| He said: "There are several trees down, the top and bottom roads out of Dingwall are closed off. | He said: "There are several trees down, the top and bottom roads out of Dingwall are closed off. |
| "We have had continuous overnight rain the past three or four nights - it has been some of the heaviest continuous rain I can remember in 70 years." | "We have had continuous overnight rain the past three or four nights - it has been some of the heaviest continuous rain I can remember in 70 years." |
| Central Scotland Police has also reported some problems on the roads, including near Glenrothes. | Central Scotland Police has also reported some problems on the roads, including near Glenrothes. |
| Live flood warning information is available from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) on 0845 988 1188. | Live flood warning information is available from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) on 0845 988 1188. |
| Have you been affected by the flooding and bad weather? Let us know what the situation is like where you are and if you have pictures you can send them to newsonlinescotland@bbc.co.uk | Have you been affected by the flooding and bad weather? Let us know what the situation is like where you are and if you have pictures you can send them to newsonlinescotland@bbc.co.uk |
| Your comments | Your comments |
| Left Dingwall this morning at 0645 for Ullapool. In and around Dingwall it is horrendous especially up off the Old Evanton Road. Several streets are like rivers. | Left Dingwall this morning at 0645 for Ullapool. In and around Dingwall it is horrendous especially up off the Old Evanton Road. Several streets are like rivers. |
| Lots of branches and debris from trees blocking drains. | Lots of branches and debris from trees blocking drains. |
| The road from Dingwall to Strathpeffer was especially bad around the Auchterneed junction bad with 2 feet of water over road. The Auchterneed road was like a spate river. John Bruce | The road from Dingwall to Strathpeffer was especially bad around the Auchterneed junction bad with 2 feet of water over road. The Auchterneed road was like a spate river. John Bruce |
| Left Culloden at 0710 this morning, managed to get to the Cromarty bridge but it was rather hairy all the way. Had to turn back at Cromarty as there was about 2 - 3ft of water on the road. | Left Culloden at 0710 this morning, managed to get to the Cromarty bridge but it was rather hairy all the way. Had to turn back at Cromarty as there was about 2 - 3ft of water on the road. |
| This appeared to be coming down the hill from Culbokie and was raging like a river! | This appeared to be coming down the hill from Culbokie and was raging like a river! |
| Turned the radio on and heard the road was closed on the other side of the bridge anyway at Foulis. | Turned the radio on and heard the road was closed on the other side of the bridge anyway at Foulis. |
| I haven't seen floods like this since the severe ones in Inverness a couple of years ago and this certainly brought back memories. | I haven't seen floods like this since the severe ones in Inverness a couple of years ago and this certainly brought back memories. |
| So, an impromptu day off work which is all very well but no pay.. bah!Slev | So, an impromptu day off work which is all very well but no pay.. bah!Slev |