Chaos descended as surface water ran across roads in rivers, making the main trunk road through the county and many other areas impassable.

Homes on Golspie's Main Street were flooded, hundreds of schoolchildren were sent home and the local authority services were disrupted as staff were unable to get to work.

Local residents said the situation was the worst they had seen since the big storm of January 2004 which saw the rainiest 24hour period for 20 years.

Brora Community Council chairman John McMorran, who has lived and worked on Balnacoil Estate for 22 years, said: "I have never seen flooding like it on the trunk road before, although I'm well used to river levels rising in Strath Brora which is a regular winter occurrence.

"I think what is different this time is the amount of rain that came in such a short time. That has made the difference and caused the flash flooding that has caused all the disruption."

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency issued flood warnings yesterday morning for the rivers Oykel, Cassley, Carron and the Kyle of Sutherland.

A spokesman said: "River levels have risen quickly due to the persistent rain and more is forecast. The Oykel and the Carron have risen by around 40mm and localised flooding is expected."

Motorists setting out to work in East Sutherland yesterday were forced to drive through feet of water with the A9 badly affected.

Householders and shopkeepers whose properties bordered the A9 on the Main Street running through Golspie fought a battle to prevent water seeping into their homes and shops.

Chairman of Golspie Community Council Iain Miller, who lives at Seaview, on the Main Street, desperately tried to protect his property with sandbags and breezeblock. In the event, the water reached his doorstep but no further.

He said: "It's at times like this that everyone pulls together and everyone is doing their best. Our councillor Ian Ross has been out and about trying to organise the various services, including trying to alleviate any sewage problems which may arise."

A landslide blocked the trunk road at Portgower and surface water made the route impassable to smaller cars at Dunrobin and Golspie Main Street.

Police said heavy flooding had also led to blockages at Loth, Strathsteven and Evelix. Also closed were the A897 six miles north of Helmsdale; a fallen tree led to the closure of the A949 Bonar Bridge to Clashmore road; the U224/C45 Oykel road; the C44 Carron Bridge to Braelangwell; the C9 Strathmore road; a landslide closed the U333 at Glenloth; the U412 Nursery Road at Backies and the C6 Brora to Rogart route at Balnacoil.

A motorist got into difficulties driving across the bridge at Cuthill, close to the junction with the A9. The car had to be pulled out by a tractor.

Dornoch-based Sergeant Garry Cameron said: "All roads within the the area have been adversely affected by the extreme weather conditions and all the emergency services are doing their utmost to deal with the situation."

He added: "I personally have never seen it as bad as this and I think that will also be the case for many people."

A spokesman for the education department said two secondary schools in the country had closed along with nine primary schools.

Those affected were Golspie High School and Dornoch Academy along with Altnaharra, Bonar Bridge, Dornoch, Edderton, Gledfield, Golspie, Helmsdale, Kinbrace and Rogart primary schools.

* A bid by all six Sutherland members of the Highland Council to overturn planning approval for a wind farm near Rosehall had to deferred yesterday (Thursday) - because four of them were unable to reach Inverness for the full council meeting.

The council's core planning committee had granted power company Airtricity consent for a 23-turbine development at Invercassley, after a recent site visit and a full hearing in Lairg.

But immediately after that meeting all six Sutherland councillors tabled an amendment in a last-ditch bid to overturn the decision.

It was due to have been debated at yesterday's meeting of the full council in Inverness, but when four of the six were unable to get through because of the chaos on the roads, it was agreed by 26 votes to 21 to defer the matter. It is understood a second site visit and special meeting is now planned for Lairg, on a date yet to be fixed, to discuss the amendment.

carolinem@northern-times.co.uk

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