Major emergency declared in Dumfries & Galloway

Border
Dumfries and Galloway
Flooding
Saturday 5 December 2015 at 11:33pm

Whitesands, Dumfries Credit: ITV Border

A major emergency has been declared in Dumfries and Galloway in response to the ongoing severe weather.

Officers from Police Scotland, the NHS, Dumfries and Galloway Council and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have been working to address flooding issues and provide support to vulnerable communities and individuals across the region.

Areas affected include:

The Whitesands in Dumfries has flooded and flood defences have been provided to properties in the area.
The Esk at Langholm has burst its banks. Homes within George Street in the town have been evacuated by Police Scotland and a care centre has been established. This will remain open for the next 24 hours.
The River Annan has peaked and some flooding has been reported in some areas of Annandale and Eskdale including Wamphray, Cummertrees and Hoddom.

A number of roads have been closed across the region due to safety concerns including the A709 between Lockerbie and Lochmaben and a number of B roads.

Chief Inspector David McCallum from Police Scotland said:

"This has been a strong response to this major emergency. "We have been able to identify potential incidents early and deploy resources to ensure that local people have received the support, resources, advice, information and reassurance that they required. "The Council’s Community Resilience arrangements have meant that local communities have been prepared and have established two way communication, allowing us to get the message out quickly and meaning these communities could react swiftly and effectively. The support from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has meant that resources could be deployed to where they have been most needed. The assistance that these crews have provided and their practical application has been a great bonus in this flooding emergency. "Local Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Resilience has been supported by national resources to ensure all types of incidents can be responded to effectively. The fire service crews on the ground have been invaluable to local communities who have required support. Having all our partners working together on this emergency response has allowed us to respond in a co-ordinated and efficient manner.”