Mud and debris clear-up under way in Edinburgh after weekend of flooding

Edinburgh: The streets of the Stockbridge Colonies after heavy rain.Edinburgh Bookshop

An extensive clear-up has taken place in Edinburgh following flooding at the weekend.

Between 30 and 40 homes were affected in the Stockbridge area of the city where flood prevention work is under way.

The Water of Leith burst its banks to engulf properties in the Stockbridge Colonies with Bells Place and Kemp Place suffering the worst of it on Saturday.

Staff from the City of Edinburgh Council Flood Prevention team co-ordinated a major clean-up of mud and debris from the streets and pavements in the north of the city on Sunday.

An information centre was set up at Stockbridge Primary School which was not visited by anyone and no evacuations were necessary.

From Monday the council will contact residents to see what help they need to remove any damaged household contents, fixtures and fittings.

The Water of Leith back has returned to normal levels and no further flooding expected but rainfall and river levels will continue to be monitored.

All 13 flood warnings issued across Lothian and Borders on Saturday by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency were lifted on Sunday morning.

Councillor Andrew Burns, Council Leader, said: "The flood waters may have receded but for those households affected it will take a lot longer to repair the damage caused on Saturday. Council Task Force teams have been working hard to clean up affected areas, clearing mud and debris from streets and pavements. This is now largely complete and from today we will be leafleting all homes that have been hit by floodwater to offer assistance in removing damaged furniture and floor coverings etc.

"The events over the weekend highlight the necessity of the work currently being undertaken to improve the Water of Leith flood defences. The defences which were breached due to Saturday's unprecedented heavy rainfall were temporary structures. Permanent defences already in place held as designed."

A deluge of rain on Friday led to Both days of the Taste of Edinburgh food festival were cancelled after the site at the Meadows was deemed “severely flooded” following “extreme" rainfall overnight on Friday.

Construction on a £11.5m floodwall on the Water of Leith is incomplete and the flood defences were breached following heavy rainfall.

More wet weather has been forecast following news that three months worth of rain fell in June alone and Edinburgh's Botanic Garden was the wettest place in Scotland.

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