'Significant Storm Babet flood disruption likely' in Caithness and Sutherland, warns Sepa update
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
'SIGNIFICANT' flood disruption is likely in Caithness and Sutherland as Saturday progresses, Sepa has warned amid torrential rain linked to Storm Babet.
In an update on Saturday, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) warned that river levels in the two counties are expected to peak at higher levels than on Friday.
A Sepa spokesman said: "River levels will respond during Saturday and are expected to be higher than on Friday with significant disruption likely."
The increased levels are in response to further torrential rain overnight and through Saturday, with an amber weather warning from the Met Office in force at the time of writing amid fears of a deluge of up to 100mm in some places.
Vincent Fitzsimons, Sepa’s flood duty manager, said: "Some of the heaviest and most prolonged rain today will be in Caithness and Sutherland. There are many places where flooding still remains, particularly near rivers and where surface water has collected on roads, and it’s really important people understand the danger.
"It is important to stress that not all areas that could be affected have formal flood warning schemes, so please do take a Flood Alert in your area as advance notice that you could be affected. Communities can still get vital information from Sepa’s alerts, on Sepa’s website and from the emergency services.
Related: A9 closed by flooding amid Storm Babet deluge in northern Highlands
“Flood warnings will be updated across the day as required, so I do encourage people to check our flood updates for all the latest information. You can also follow @SEPAFlood on X for advice and information."
The rain has already caused widespread disruption across the two counties and south into Ross-shire, which is also subject to the amber warning.
The A9 in Easter Ross was completely submerged at Tomich by local flooding on Saturday morning, and a number of other roads in Ross-shire were also shut – including the coast road between Dingwall and the Ardullie Roundabout at the northern end of the Cromarty Bridge.
The A835 linking Dingwall to Ullapool is also reported to be "restricted in both directions" at Garve amid a flood warning for the Black Water river in that area.
That warning is one of three that were in force across the north Highlands on Saturday – with two other alerts in place in Sutherland.
A flood warning was issued for Strath Oykel at 7.45am, and another for Strath Carron at 7.52am.
The Strath Oykel warning extends from an area north-west of Oykel Bridge and downstream to Invercassley.
A Sepa spokesman said: "Agricultural land in Strath Oykel, from Oykel Bridge to Inveroykel Bailey Bridge and at Invercassley, is at risk of flooding.
"Inveroykel Bailey Bridge may be inaccessible. For information, the river level at Easter Turnaig gauging station exceeded 1.6m at 05:30 am BST. The river level is still rising and rainfall is expected to continue throughout the day."
The Strath Carron warning meanwhile, runs from Amatnatua and downhill until the River Carron meets the Kyle of Sutherland opposite Bonar Bridge.
The spokesman added: "Agricultural land and the roads in Strathcarron are at risk of flooding. River levels are rising quickly and rain is expected to continue throughout the day."
At the time of writing there were 10 flood alerts in place across Scotland, 18 flood warnings, and five severe flood warnings.
For the latest information visit floodline.sepa.org.uk/floodupdates.
