Ministers have been accused of letting "petty party politics" stand in the way of improvements to the country's flood defences.

The accusation, levelled by Scottish National Party (SNP), comes after weekend flooding brought misery to the Moray area of northern Scotland for the third time in five years.

The SNP's local MSP, Margaret Ewing, said the Scottish Executive "had blocked" its proposal for a national flood strategy which could have helped safeguard vulnerable communities.

But the executive said that it still viewed local flood prevention planning as the best way forward.

Margaret Ewing: "This is heartbreaking"

Thousands of sand bags failed to hold back flood waters as torrential rain caused rivers to burst their banks in Moray on Saturday.

Emergency teams worked all weekend first trying to prevent widespread damage, then rescuing people from their swamped houses and finally helping with the clean-up.

But questions are being asked as to why the towns of Elgin, Forres and Rothes suffered so badly.

Moray Council chief executive Alistair Keddie said that work had been done to improve flood defences since the last major flood in the town but added that the levels seen at the weekend were "unprecedented".

He said: "Had the levels been the same as 1997, the prevention work carried out in the interim years would have coped better and fewer properties would have been affected.

'Prioritise resources'

"But no-one could have foreseen the rapid increase of 2ft, which is what we saw over the weekend.

"Naturally there are some who will say we could have done more, but in a worsening situation, we have to prioritise resources towards vulnerable defences."

Mr Keddie added that the council's priority now was to re-house the 175 people who had been forced out of their homes because of the downpours.

The flooding affected a huge area

But Grampian Police Chief Inspector Alan Smith said it could be months before those affected would be able to return to their properties.

In the meantime, they were staying in local hotels, bed and breakfasts and at a former residential home in the town.

Deputy Environment Minister Allan Wilson visited the stricken area on Monday to see the extent of the damage for himself.

But the SNP accused the executive of exacerbating the situation by refusing to back its proposals for a national flood prevention strategy.

The party's MSP for Moray, Margaret Ewing, said she will lodge an emergency question highlighting concerns expressed by victims.

National strategy

She is also set to ask ministers for emergency relief for the area.

She told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme on Monday: "This is heartbreaking for the victims - it is the same area, and the same houses, that were affected five years ago.

"I think it is very important that if we have to have additional capital, that the Scottish Executive puts its hands in its pockets and really does something about this.

Jack McConnell: "Deeply concerned"

"I believe we should have a national strategy because we want to protect people everywhere."

Ms Ewing said that in the interests of safeguarding communities, party politics should now be set aside to allow politicians to come up with ways of safeguarding communities.

First Minister Jack McConnell said he is "deeply concerned" by the "regular series" of floods across Scotland.

He pledged to established a special Cabinet sub-committee chaired by the deputy first minister to look at the speed with which improvements could be made to flood defences.

The group will also look at the way emergency teams responded and overall government support for those who faced the "horrendous" experience of being flooded out of their homes.

Capital investment

But a spokesman for the Scottish Executive said ministers did not feel a national strategy was the best way of guarding against future flooding.

He said: "At the moment our flood prevention schemes are local and we think that's the most effective way to proceed.

"There are no plans to change it at the moment."

The spokesman said Mr Wilson would encourage Moray Council to speed up its proposal for a flood prevention scheme which needs executive approval because it would involve capital investment.

He added: "He's not promising any funding today (Monday) because they have to come forward with proposals for capital investment."