ELDERLY residents were rescued from a care home and householders were also evacuated as a river threatened to break its banks after torrential rain.

Red Cross staff helped 46 people from The Meadows care home in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, as the level of the nearby River Deveron became danger- ously high.

Volunteers and vehicles from Aberdeen and Elgin were drafted in to help move them to other homes and to Huntly’s Jubilee Hospital.

It is the second time in less than a year that The Meadows has been evacuated because of the threat of the Deveron bursting its banks.

Residents living nearby were also urged to make their properties secure and leave amid fears that conditions would worsen. A rest centre was set up at the Gordon Schools in the town.

By eight o’clock last night residents were being told they could return home as water levels had fallen.

A spokesman for Aberdeenshire Council said it was hoped they would continue to drop over the next few days, although forecasters warned that more heavy downpours are expected tomorrow.

Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) duty hydrology manager Vincent Fitzsimons, said: “River flows peaked in the north-east on Monday afternoon, as they did in other areas throughout the day.

“The Met Office forecast is for more rain during Wednesday and the early part of Thursday, affecting Dumfries and Galloway, Strathclyde, Central and western parts of Perth and Kinross.”

The Highlands and north east have seen widespread flooding after a deluge of rain in the past three days.

Flood warnings remained in place last night for parts of Dundee, Angus and the Borders.

Sepa also issued a flood alert for Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen city, Findhorn, Nairn, Moray and Speyside.

Huntly was one of the worst- affected areas during heavy rains in 2009. Aberdeenshire Council agreed in April this year to set aside £2.9 million towards a flood protection scheme in the historic town after severe flooding in The Meadows area.

There were fears it would be badly hit again yesterday, with similar concerns for low-lying areas of Turriff, where sandbags were placed at sites that have previously been vulnerable to flooding.

Aberdeenshire Council’s head of roads and landscape services, Philip McKay, said: “We have officers monitoring the situation closely.

“The council is working on the ground with colleagues from Grampian Fire and Rescue Service and Grampian Police and is providing support locally. But residents should take all reasonable precautions.”

Police Chief Inspector Colin Walker said: “We are working closely with our partners to monitor the situation and would encourage members of the public to be vigilant.”

Parts of Inverness were flooded and a section of the A9 was closed southbound for about three hours after heavy rain during the weekend.

Organisers of the Belladrum Tartan Heart music festival, held near Beauly in the Highlands, also enlisted Red Cross assistance to give shelter to stricken campers.

Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue said they had 17 week-end callouts about flooding.

Between 6pm on Sunday and 6am yesterday Wick was the wettest place in Scotland with 19mm of rainfall, followed by Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire with 18mm. A total of 11mm fell in Lossiemouth, Moray, and 10mm in Kinloss.