An Angus villager feared the worst for Brechin after watching the power of Storm Babet destroy everything in its path upstream of the main disaster zone.
Chris Noble lives in Tannadice, several miles from the Angus town which is now the centre of a major operation to assess the full extent of the multi-million pound devastation.
Hundreds were forced from their homes after the River South Esk burst its banks in the early hours of Friday.
King Charles has sent a message of sympathy to the town.
On Monday, First Minister Humza Yousaf spoke of his shock at the scale of devastation during a visit there.
Worst incident since Storm Frank in 2015
Chris, 38, said the damage suffered by Brechin homes and businesses was not a surprise after what he witnessed hours earlier.
He lives in what was the old Tannadice pub and the family is now reliant on a wood-burning stove after floodwater swamped the boiler in their garage.
“Thankfully the house is higher up, but I have never seen it as bad as that,” said Chris.
“The worst it had been previously was Storm Frank in 2015.
“But when we saw the red warning we knew it might be as bad as that, or possibly worse.”
Tannadice sits on a bend in the South Esk.
“Around midnight we knew it was starting to get really bad,” said Chris.
“The neighbours below us built a wall to protect their home after 2015.
“It held really well, but the river was so high the water just went over the top of it.”
“I’ve never seen the level as high as it was in the lane in front of us.
“There were whole trees being washed down. With the bend in the river the power was incredible.
“We knew the flood was coming, but there was nothing we could have done against it.
“And when I saw how high it was here, we knew Brechin was going to be in serious trouble.”
The road leading to Tannadice from Justinhaugh is littered with gravel and debris, with flooding still around the Coul Mill.
