Highlands Incidents

Major Incidents in and around the Highlands

Highland Council's Emergency Planning Unit exits to prepare for and respond to the many and varied potential emergency situations.  Emergency Planning has experienced many changes in recent years and the whole sphere of activity continues to evolve.  Initially the Unit was formed under the Civil Defence regulations during the Cold War.  Now, governed by the Civil Contingencies Regulations, the unit operates in close partnership with, the emergency services, public utilities, other government organisations and the private sector.

The unit is located at the Highland Council's Emergency Centre in Inverness.  The facility, a WWII bunker, is where the local authority's response to a major emergency is co-ordinated.

The following are some of the major incidents in which the Emergency Planning Unit has been involved in recent years.

  • 1993 - Anthrax Incident
  • 1995/96 - Adverse Weather "The Big Freeze" - Disruption to Power and water supplies
  • 1996 - Search for missing person - Multi Agency Response
  • 1996 - Yusup K (Naptha Cargo) Incidents, Pentland Firth
  • 1997 - Landslides - Invermoriston
  • 1999 - Severe Power Disruption
  • 1999 - Ascania Incident - Pentland Firth - Chemical Tanker on fire and drifting
  • 1999/2000 - Millennium Preparation
  • 2000 - Fuel Crisis
  • 2001 - Nursing Home Evacuation - Fire
  • 2001 - Lysfoss Cargo Vessel incident - Sound of Mull
  • 2001 - Foot & Mouth Outbreak
  • 2002 - Flooding - Inverness
  • 2003 - Jambo Sinking - Summer Isles
  • 2003 - Strathnaver Bus Crash
  • 2004 - Vanguard Submarine Support Vessel Sinking - Rona
  • 2005 - Widespread Sever Weather and Flooding
  • 2006 - Flooding - Dingwall

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