Flash floods cause chaos across Scotland as storms hit

FLASH floods brought chaos to towns across Scotland yesterday as drivers were forced to abandon their cars and pedestrians waded through waist- deep water.

Fire crews were called out in Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire, when drivers got stuck in the rising waters.

Eyewitness Amanda McCallum, 35, said: “There was a huge flood at the roundabout and there was a car stuck and the fire crew was trying to get the people out.

“The flood started rising really quickly. The rain was horrendous and water was shooting out of the drainpipes.”

Alan Tonner, 42, a plumber from Cumbernauld, said: “The roads turned into a river.

“The water was above my car’s bonnet.”

Ballater in Aberdeenshire also saw flooding while Balloch in West Dunbartonshire had torrential rain.

Environmental agency Sepa has put 16 flood warnings in place.

Meanwhile, 1032 lightning strikes were reported across the country.