RESIDENTS ADVISED TO QUIT HOMES
OVER 100 people have been "strongly advised" to evacuate their homes after more landslides at the Bervie Braes in Stonehaven today (Thursday).
It is the first time residents have been told to leave their homes since monitoring of the Braes began in the 1990s.
A second landslip crashed into the back of Invercarron Cottage early on this morning, causing owner Richard Barnes and his partner to flee the property.
Further landslips also occurred at the harbour a few hours later, following high levels of rain overnight. That, combined with melting snow, has led the Braes to become saturated with water.
Aberdeenshire Council have raised the risk level to its highest level and council officers are contacting householders directly to recommend evacuation and provide support.
Meanwhile, police have closed off several streets surrounding the area as a precautionary measure and are not allowing members of the public near to the threatened houses.
Householders have been advised to make their way to St Bridget's Hall to register details of where they will be staying in the intervening period.
Aberdeenshire Council said they did not know how long people would be out of their homes, but have advised residents to pack enough items for "several days".
At a press conference today, Aberdeenshire Council's Director of Transport and Infrastructure Iain Gabriel confirmed that it was a possibility that the whole of the Braes might collapse.
A helpline has been set up for residents and concerned friends and family, and can be reached on 08456 081206.
Mr Gabriel said: "The recommendation to evacuate has not been taken lightly, but we strongly advise residents to head to find alternative accommodation while the risk of further slippages remains high.
"We have engineers on site to closely monitor any developments as they happen and are linking in with our partner agencies."
Aberdeenshire Council's Chief Executive, Colin Mackenzie, said: "We are very concerned about the risk of further slippages at the Bervie Braes and clearly we can't leave anything to chance. We have not reached this decision lightly by any means.
"It has been a combination of three things - five months of exceptionally bad weather, heavy rain last night and predictions of heavy rain over the next period. These things have convinced us that this is the right time for residents to leave their homes
"I think it's too dramatic to say it is a life and death situation, but what we are trying to do is prevent any risk to the residents."
He added: "What we have been saying for sometime is that it is important to find a way to stabilise the Braes. We are in discussions with the Scottish Government over this issue and that is where we are at this point in time."
Mr Mackenzie said he had advised the Government of the change in situation.
Aberdeenshire Council requested 5.7 million from the Scottish Government in August 2009 to pay for the soil nailing of the upper and lower slopes as their preferred remedial options.
The Bervie Braes are in private ownership and neither the Aberdeenshire Council nor Scottish Government has any direct responsibility for the condition of the slopes.
Around 60 homes sit below the cliffs.
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Weather for Stonehaven
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
