Moray Council are making supplies of sand available to allow people to fill their own sandbags as the threat of flooding in the region continues this morning.
While forecasters have said that rain will ease later today there were no signs of a reprieve after twelve hours of rainfall have left many areas under flood water with levels still rising.
Stockpiles of sand has been delivered to the car parks at Elgin Academy and Elgin High School where people are being invited to help themsleves.
Empty bags are also available at the local authority depot at Ashgrove in Elgin.
Council staff have been working throughout the night filling sandbags for distribution to areas most at risk but have been unable to cope with the demand.
A council spokesman said: “We are making empty bags available and directing people to the schools where they will be able to fill the bags from the sand supplies we are making available.
“Our own staff are continuing to fill sandbags which we are delivering to strategic points where the risk of flooding is most imminent and most serious.”
Elgin High School has been placed on standby as a rest centre in the event that people need to be evacuated from their homes, while water levels on rivers are continuing to be monitored.
Most problems have, however, been caused by surface water with stretches of the A96 and A98 continuing to be troubled but now passable with care.
Roads closed by floodwater in Elgin include Edgar Road, Maisondieu Road, Station Road, Victoria Crescent, Linkwood Road, New Elgin Road and Thornhill Road.
No trains are currently running between Inverness and Aberdeen with Elgin Station itself now reported to be affected by flooding.
Elgin Community Centre has been closed and a number of business premises in the Chanonry and Moycroft area have also been affected.
Road Closures as at 10.30am:
ELGIN:
Linkwood Road – Edgar Road roundabout to railway bridge at Ashgrove Road
New Elgin Road – North Street – Mart
Maisondieu Road – Pansport – Laichmoray
Station Road to Laichmoray to Wards Road
Edgar Road to Asda Roundabout to the Wards
One-way Westbound on Thornhill Road – Sandy Road – Whittet Drive
KEITH:
At the Bond Keith – Both roads into Newmill
ABERLOUR:
Tree down at Bluehill Quarry
Elgin to Dallas B9010 at Clodach
Lhanbryde
Burnside Road
A98 Tollbar (entrance to Buckie)
