Scotland braced for further flooding after warnings of heavy rain
Parts of Scotland are braced for more flooding after forecasters warned of further heavy rain.
Parts of Scotland are braced for more flooding after forecasters warned of further heavy rain.
Communities in Aberdeenshire, Angus and Perthshire remain on alert after days of severe weather that has damaged properties and disrupted business and travel.
Water levels were expected to rise again in areas that have seen little respite since Storm Frank hit on December 30.
The Met Office said: Further heavy and prolonged rain is expected on Thursday across much of eastern Scotland.
Given the earlier exceptionally wet weather, with high river levels and saturated ground, please be prepared for further surface water and river flooding, as well as disruption to transport.''
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has 25 flood warnings in place and Environment Minister Aileen McLeod urged people to continue checking local forecasts and take appropriate precautions.
Ms McLeod, who is expected to visit the White Cart water flood prevention scheme in Glasgow today, said: The Scottish Government resilience committee has met again to help co-ordinate and support local efforts to prepare for this additional rain and we will continue to monitor the situation carefully.''
Transport Minister Derek Mackay warned that snow may also disrupt travel.
He said: As well as the wet conditions, there is the possibility of snow on the higher routes and our trunk road operating companies will be gritting and patrolling these routes where required.
People should check all of the available information on travel operators' websites and Twitter feeds before they set off on their journeys. For trunk roads, Traffic Scotland will have the very latest updates on conditions.''
In Aberdeen, police said they had been encouraged by the response to an appeal for information on missing man Terence Kilbride, 48, who is thought to have been camping in the region.
Personal items belonging to Mr Kilbride, who is originally from Warrington, Cheshire, were found in the Bridge of Dee area of Aberdeen at the weekend. Officers said they are investigating reports of potential sightings in the Bridge of Dee area and in Deeside.
In Ballater work has been continuing to save the 16th century Abergeldie Castle on the banks of the Dee that threatened to topple into the swollen river.
It was left perilously close to the water after severe weather saw land bordering the property swept away.
Stones have been added to the river to divert fast waters away from the land around the A-listed castle which is located by Crathie, which is next to the Queen's Balmoral residence.
In Argyll and Bute, efforts are under way to make the landslip-prone A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful safe for travel, with specialist teams blasting a 150-tonne boulder sitting around 175m above the carriageway.
A diversion via the Old Military Road was shut overnight as large sections of the rock remain.
Eddie Ross from road operators BEAR Scotland said: We will continue the work to assess the slope on Thursday and will resume at first light.
The continued patience of the public is very much appreciated by our team and we will continue to do all we can to get the A83 open as quickly and safely as possible.''