by a Newsnet reporter
Even by Scottish standards it was a torrential downpour. Just before 3pm the skies opened above the southern and western areas of Edinburgh causing widespread flash flooding as the drainage system was unable to cope with the massive amount of water. Morningside, Oxgangs and Colinton were amongst the worst affected districts with witnesses reporting that Balcarres Street had turned into a river. An estimated 50 or so homes and businesses were flooded.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Andrew Brogan, director of Alba Motor Company in Balcarres Street, said: “There was lots of water and it has been quite severe. There was a car floating down the street.
“There were cars moving and earth coming down from the grass, and a few houses on the ground floor will have been flooded. Our garage was half flooded but we managed to get it all cleared out. It was tropical.”
Public transport within the city remains affected and is liable to disruption until the clean-up operation is complete. George McKendrick, operations manager for Lothian Buses, said: “From 1500 BST on Friday, a number of services in the south and west of Edinburgh were diverted due to the rain and subsequent flooding.
“The control room team has been working with drivers and staff on the ground to create the most suitable diversionary routes for our passengers.”
A spokeswoman for Edinburgh City Council said: “Following heavy rain this afternoon certain areas of the city have experienced flash flooding. The worst affected areas are in the south and west of the city. There has been a significant volume of calls from residents and businesses and we have deployed emergency staff to provide assistance.”