Island roads closed by high tide floods 1/2/13
Slippery seaweed thrown up by the sea flooding onto the road by Stinky Bay created
an extra hazard for motorists earlier today.
Police monitored the main road on the west side of Benbecula as the high tide rose
to an extreme height on Saturday morning.
Streets in Stornoway town centre were flooded with surfers out with their boards
at 7am.
The six-metre tide gushed over the quayside wall rapidly flooding adjacent carparks
and North Beach Street.
The Bayhead area of the town was also underwater.
Roads through the middle of town were closed until the sea subsided and police patrolled
the affected areas.
Surfer Rodney Jamieson took his pet dog Tara on his surfboard.
Jamieson said: “It’s not every day you get to paddle up and down the streets of Stornoway.”
Sergeant Cameron Ross of Western Isles police said the water levels came over the
harbour wall in the significantly high tide and into the town centre.
Sgt Ross said: “We experienced a significant high tide. The water levels just came
over the harbour wall and into the town centre.
“Roads were closed as traffic could not pass in either direction.
Advance warnings of the event meant that sandbags were issued in advance so shop
owners could protect their properties.
More flooding is expected over the weekend with gale due to throw the sea onto roads
and low lying coastal areas over the weekend.
Environment agency Sepa warned: “Typical impacts are likely to include flooding of
some of the individual properties and some transport disruption including the harbour
area of Stornoway and causeways on the Western Isles.
Police will patrol vulnerable areas and checked while Western Isles Council staff
will be checking on causeways in Uist this weekend.