The harsh experiences of people on the Craignish peninsula and in Kilmichael Glen as they struggle to cope with the road closures and the aftermath of the floods caused by the extreme weather of October 7 and 8 are stark reminders of just how vulnerable some communities really are in Mid Argyll.
“We do feel like the forgotten people of the floods,” said one community organiser in Kilmichael Glen, which was devastated by a severe and sudden flood, as yet unexplained.
In Craignish, the peninsula has been more or less cut off from Lochgilphead and the vital services the town supplies due to the closure of the A816 just south of Ardfern following the massive landslide.
In recent days, an emergency ambulance rushing to Craignish from Lochgilphead using the alternative route “got lost on a forest road” said a community council leader.
It’s clear the people of Craignish and Kilmichael Glen are experiencing real isolation and fear. They choose to live in remote areas, but that does not mean they should be forgotten.
Help is at hand from official quarters, but more frequent communication is required.
To her credit, Jenni Minto, MSP for Argyll and Bute, is hosting a community meeting to answer many questions from the Kilmichael Glen residents. And Jim Smith, Argyll and Bute council’s head of roads and infrastructure, was a practical and reassuring presence at an emergency meeting of the Craignish Community Council.
Their bosses should follow their examples.
Both communities are asking for the same things: better and more frequent communication from the very top – and a far more robust plan to be put in place to deal with such a catastrophic weather event in the future.
Our leaders would do well to listen.