By Mark Mackay and Mike Donachie

EXTREME WEATHER caused widespread disruption throughout Perthshire yesterday as exposed communities along the Tay catchment area were subject to flooding.

Severe flood warnings remain in force for large parts of the county, with more rain forecast.

Much of rural Perthshire battled against the elements, with high winds and heavy rain closing roads and disrupting railways.

The local authority and police worked together to keep routes open, with Perth and Kinross Council’s roads department staff managing to clear fallen trees—brought down overnight by the stormy conditions—from various places, including a proliferation in highland Perthshire.

However, their efforts could not beat deep water which closed routes such as the A822 Muthill to Crieff and B846 Aberfeldy to Weem and, for the third time in six months, began to fill Aberfeldy Caravan Park.

By late morning the entire park was submerged. One eye-witness commented, “There’s not one blade of grass visible in the entire caravan park—the water reaches half way up the phone box.”

In the town itself the historic Wade Bridge came under increasing attack from the rising Tay, and large swathes of land towards Kenmore were covered by water.

By noon the bridge was closed as a result of flooding on the opposite bank, towards Weem.

There were also problems in and around Pitlochry, while land around the Tummel, Lyon, Earn and Isla was also under threat.

The Ballathie measuring station on the Tay recorded that the river had risen by over 10 feet since the beginning of the month.

In addition, every gauging station bar one yesterday showed that the river was still rising.

Flooding also forced closure of the railway between Dunkeld and Pitlochry.

A spokesman for Network Rail commented, “Right now we are committing our resources to the most needy areas.

“We are also working closely with the Met Office and, as the forecast is for more rain, we will be looking to identify hotspots.

“Our engineers will have to inspect the line, checking the ballast beneath the tracks and the structure to ensure there is no permanent damage, before it can re-open and at present it’s not possible to estimate when that might be.”

With trains from Edinburgh and Glasgow terminating at Perth and southbound trains unable to reach the town, ScotRail transported passengers between Perth and Inverness by bus.

By 9 am the Scottish Environment Protection Agency had issued 14 flood warnings for Perth and Kinross, of which 13 were classed as “severe,” though this had been reduced to eight by evening.

These included a long stretch of the Tay from Kenmore to the Perth area, although the warning for the lower reaches of the Tay stressed there appeared to be no danger to Perth itself.

One Fearnan resident described the conditions in and around Aberfeldy as the worst he had experienced in 27 years of living in an area that in recent years has been subject to regular flooding.

Mr Pattison Lisle commented, “The road between Fearnan and Aberfeldy is the worst I have experienced in 27 years.

“I had to go to Aberfeldy and found extensive water lying on the surface, with water spouting out over the banks of land adjacent to the road. The drains just can’t cope.”

He added, “Obviously we are concerned about this flooding, which is as severe as I’ve seen it, but this is a perennial problem.

“I know the council’s contractors are doing all they can but this is such an extensive problem that something really needs to be done.”

A call for more flood prevention measures to be introduced across Perthshire was made yesterday by an MSP.

Mid Scotland and Fife Tory MSP Murdo Fraser spoke as deputy environment minister Lewis Macdonald announced the multi-million-pound Edinburgh flood prevention scheme, to benefit 900 premises in Portobello thanks to 80% funding from a Scottish Executive grant.

Mr Fraser said, “I do not have an issue with Edinburgh being awarded this funding, as it is a fact that this area has had flooding problems. However, I do question the Executive’s commitment to Perthshire.

“In the summer of 2004 we saw substantial rainfall and flooding in Perthshire. Not only did this lead to the A9 being closed down but also many constituents contacted me about minor flooding to their property.

“The Executive ruled out any funding to help the council clean up the area or fund schemes that would secure the area against future flooding. Some people in Perthshire must wonder about the Executive’s dedication to Perthshire.”

The weather was kinder to drivers around Dundee yesterday, after high winds forced a 90-minute closure of the Tay Road Bridge on Thursday night as gusts of up to 85 mph swept down the estuary.

A spokeswoman said the only restrictions yesterday were a ban on double-decker buses and a 30 mph speed limit on all other traffic.

Last night, with conditions expected to worsen, bridge staff were continuing to monitor conditions.