 The floods caused chaos in Hawick |
Deputy Environment Minister Rhona Brankin has visited the Borders to inspect this week's flood damage. Her tour on Thursday afternoon included visits to Hawick businesses and the town's high school.
She met residents, traders, council flood relief workers and representatives from the emergency services.
The area saw around 70mm-100mm of rain in 24 hours - as much as it receives in the average month.
Several people had to be evacuated from their homes on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning after the River Teviot burst its banks.
Ms Brankin said: "Flooding causes distress and suffering and I have every sympathy for the people of Hawick and other areas affected by Tuesday night's heavy rainfall and flooding.
"The risk of flooding is likely to increase in future years due to climate change. For that reason we are committed to better protecting vulnerable communities."
The minister said funds available to local authorities for flood prevention schemes had been increased to �89m over three years and added that the Scottish Executive was providing �86,500 to help develop a flood warning programme for Scotland.
Threat level
The flood threat level was downgraded in the worst-hit area of the town on Wednesday night.
Forecasters said the severe weather would be replaced by much drier, sunnier spells throughout Scotland on Thursday.
On Wednesday, road and rail routes were closed and residents were evacuated as homes and businesses were destroyed.
 A young cyclist decided to defy the rising water |
The West Coast Main Line was shut between Carlisle and Glasgow for much of the day, forcing passengers to complete journeys by bus.
The A708 remained closed two miles east of Moffat on Thursday, due to flooding in Dumfries and Galloway.
At one point on Wednesday there were 26 flood warnings in place across Scotland, but the number was later reduced to two.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) said only the Teviot and the River Spey in Grampian remained at risk of flooding.
In Selkirk, crews became stranded in flood water while trying to rescue a woman who had gone missing - she was later found safe and well.
A number of homes and roads in Aberdeen's harbour area were flooded, along with roads and car parks in Stirling and Perth.
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The risk of flooding is likely to increase in future years due to climate change
