Sturgeon announces £12m of funding to help Scottish flood victims

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon embraces a resident affected by the recent floods at Port Elphinstone in Scotland. Credit: REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced £12m of new funding to help Scottish flood victims deal with the aftermath of recent heavy storms that battered the UK.

Speaking as she visited flood-hit Inverurie in Aberdeenshire on Saturday and met with those devastated by the floods, Sturgeon pledged to award grants of £1,500 to every household, business or charity directly affected by flood waters as well as a £5m fund for councils to replace damaged infrastructure.

The announcement comes as Scotland continues to deal with the damage caused by heavy rain and severe flooding as a result of Storm Frank.

Sturgeon, who said she was "amazed by the determination and dedication" of everyone who helped during the flooding, said the new funding would be in addition to the £4 million announced by the Deputy First Minister in his budget statement.

Scotland was heavily hit by Storm Frank with floods reported in Tayside and the Borders and on Friday scores of homes were evacuated in Aberdeenshire after the River Don burst its banks and sent flood waters coursing through Inverurie, Port Elphinstone and Ellon.

Flood waters hit many villages after the River Don burst its banks Credit: PA