Fears of further catastrophic flooding in Alyth were not realised as Storm Babet swept through on Friday but the weekend forecast means locals are still anxious.
The Alyth Burn burst its banks in the early morning and residents were offered refuge at the town hall.
The red alert raised fears of a repeat of the devastating floods of 2020 and 2015.
However, community leaders said flood defences installed in the wake of those disasters have worked – so far.
Praise for flood defences
Community Council chairman Iain Donaldson was in the village centre checking the water level in the Alyth burn.
He said flood prevention measures installed around three years ago had helped to limit the damage over night.
“The water came up and the burn flooded exactly as it was designed to.
“The weather last night was a test and everything worked superbly.
“Perth and Kinross Council have been a great help and the local flood group did very well too.
“The town hall was opened just in case people needed somewhere to go.
“With the rain that is still forecast, it will probably be open again tomorrow – that’s the concern.
“If as much rain comes as they’re expecting we may have problems.
“We are starting with much higher water level, so it’s only going to get worse.”
Businesses brace for more
Sandbags were piled outside doors by the burnside and the village was quiet aside from a few onlookers.
Most businesses had closed their premises.
A note in one window said “weather warnings in place and flood conditions to worsen over next couple of days. I have decided to close for the weekend… rather be safe”.
Grocer M & M Ferguson was one of the few that remained open.
Margaret Ferguson said: “Because we’re a food shop, we thought people might need things.
“We’ve got our sandbags out and taken all the precautions.
“We’re ready for anything. What else can you do?
“When I saw the water going up I did worry about how bad it was going to be this time.
“But it’s not as bad as 2015, that was the worst one.”
Neil Jackson’s Springbank home is one of several in Alyth with sandbags outside.
It was badly flooded in 2015 but he agreed the flood prevention measures elsewhere in the town appear to have done their job.
“The burn breached just across the grass and at the bottom of Springbank but nothing like before,” he said.
“My wife had to be rescued by the fire brigade in 2015 and there were wheelie bins and all sorts floating down the street.
“We were flooded front and back and the whole bottom of the house had to be replaced.
“She was up until 3 30am last night but there’s not nearly as much water down here this time.
“The flood resilience team came with sandbags last night.
“We’re leaving them just in case.
“There’s another red alert from midnight tonight and much more water around to start with.”
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