Islanders tell of huge waves crashing over homes
Islanders advise their MSP of the threat to South Uist if nothing is done.
Since South Uist played host to Scotland’s first ever climate hearing in November last year, Oxfam Scotland has continued its work with local people to keep their issues high on the political agenda.
On Sunday (March 28), residents took local MSP Alasdair Allan on a tour of their island to show him the effects that coastal erosion, rising sea levels and more frequent and severe weather events are having on the community’s ability to fish, croft and crop.
In a gathering at the Borrodale Hotel, which took place after the tour, further concerns from local people were also brought to light.
Kenny Campbell, a local Crofter, spoke about the problems in Tipherton, Smerclate. He said that annual flooding causes terrible damage to the area and that the community is left to fend for itself, adding that although estimates for repairs are submitted to the authorities every year, nothing ever happens and they are left to rebuild and carry out repairs themselves.
Mr Campbell also spoke of the 40 foot waves which came crashing over their homes with such force during one recent storm that many feared for their lives. One man tried to tie himself to his home in an attempt to prevent himself from being washed away by the water, and another found that 37 of his sheep had been drowned during the storm when he discovered their bodies on the roof of a building where they had been deposited by the waves.
Increased winter rainfall has made the low-lying island more vulnerable to flooding, and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has predicted that the seas around South Uist will rise by at least 37cm by 2080.
Considering the current situation, and with such predictions that winter weather conditions will only get worse on the Western Isles, residents want the Scottish Government to develop early warning systems for dangerous areas to prevent further loss of land, livelihoods and life.
Residents also fear that, unless better drainage systems and sea defences are installed, South Uist could eventually split in two. Some areas already become temporary islands during times of heavy rainfall, and residents are worried that a continuous stretch of water could form from the east to the west coast if action is not taken to prevent the inland lochs from permanently joining together.
These concerns were initially expressed at Scotland’s first ever Climate Hearing, hosted by Oxfam Scotland on the island back in November last year. Islanders then took their concerns to local MSP, Alasdair Allan, at the Scottish Parliament, who has since written to all residents on the island asking for their views on coastal erosion and on planning for extreme weather events.
Sunday’s tour was a chance for Mr Allan to see for himself the problems that local people are facing and to hear what they think the solutions should be.
Seumas MacDonald, former Crofter and local resident who took part on the tour, said: ‘I feel that the tour went very well and I think Alasdair Allan understands now what the problems we are facing are. It’s difficult to really comprehend them unless you see them with your own eyes, so I’m pleased he has been listening to us and I hope he continues to do so.
‘This is just the start of the project though – it has to be ongoing. Ideally I would like to see something positive happen this summer before the onset of next winter when the storms start again. We really need a proper defense system to protect us and our island from the sea. Things have been getting worse for years, so we need to use this opportunity to get something in place.’
Alasdair Allan, MSP for the Western Isles, said: ‘The tour was a real eye-opener for everyone. Obviously I knew about the problems caused by the 2005 storms, but today provided a chance to talk about the next steps for the future.
‘Speaking to people in Uist about their concerns face to face has also been very useful. Many spoke of the tragedy in 2005 when three generations of one family were swept off a causeway by a freak wave during a storm surge, and they are understandably anxious to know what the options are for preventing something like that happening again.
‘The council are currently carrying out a number of surveys to establish what, if any, role the causeway network has had on the situation. Now it’s time to look at the next step forward and I will do my best to consult with the community and keep them informed of any future developments.’
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