Storm Babet’s aftermath has revealed the heartache facing Finavon neighbours who saw their homes destroyed by floodwater for the second time in less than a year.
The River South Esk’s wrath swamped houses in the hamlet between Forfar and Brechin.
It is on the bank of the river beside the bridge over the A90 where floodwaters closed the Dundee to Aberdeen dual carriageway until Tuesday morning.
Milton of Finavon residents were among more than 300-odd Angus homes evacuated as the South Esk torrent wrecked everything in its path – including Brechin’s £16 million flood defences.
Teacher Nina Jeffrey fears she may never be able to sell her £250,000 home.
And retired couple Sandy and Moira Nicoll face many more months out of the property they were due to move back into this week.
Video captured the scale of the disaster, where the swollen Lemno Burn runs past their houses towards the main river.
And last week’s horror came after a November 2022 flood which left both homes uninhabitable.
‘Groundhog day’ nightmare
Nina faces a massive bill after her insurance refused to pay out for the previous damage.
She said: ” It’s hard to know what to say – I just can’t describe it.
“It’s like groundhog day, we are back to square one.”
She has lived in the house for 19 years but Nina, who was widowed, had bought a new home in Forfar with husband Simon.
“After the last flood I had to pay out and it ran into tens of thousands of pounds.
“We were back in the house in March but had been living with family in Dundee while I tried to sell the house.
“We wanted a fresh start and I was due to conclude on a sale two weeks ago but they pulled out.
“We had never been flooded until last November and now it has happened twice.
“I don’t know where to start now – where do we get help now?
“It has left me wondering if I am ever going to be able to sell this house now.”
Nina has not been back to Finavon since Storm Babet hit.
“My husband and daughter went down after the red warning was lifted. They wouldn’t let me go.
“We were in the house the last time and literally had to grab what we could.
“But every time there is heavy rain I feel really anxious now. When you’ve been through something like this you always have that feeling.”
Ready to return
Next door, Sandy Nicoll returned on Tuesday morning for the first time.
The 78-year-old and his wife were due to move back into their repaired home within days.
They have not been back home since last November.
“We had the carpets and blinds booked to be done this week ready to move in next week,” said Sandy.
“What can you do?” he said, surveying the water mark almost up to the window sills inside what – until Friday’s early hours – was a newly refurbished house.
“I didn’t come near the place because I knew what was happening.
“The house was ready to move into.
“The insurance paid out last time because they treated it as a one-off.
“I don’t know what the answer will be this time.”
Finavon residents say they will be looking for support and answers from the authorities in the aftermath of Babet.
Harvey Duke, 86, added: “We had a very lucky escape.
“We saw the water flooding the patio and it came up to the doorstep.
“We had one more nine-inch doorstep to go and there was nothing we could have done.”
Conversation