Engineers are working to restore water supplies to Kelvingrove

Glasgow City Council said heavy rain seeped into a water pump building, affecting toilets and fresh water.

About 1,500 people had to leave on health and safety grounds, but the gallery reopened later. No part of the building or collections was damaged.

The Kelvingrove had recently opened following a multi-million pound refurbishment programme.

The visitors to the gallery at the time of the closure had been directed to the nearby Museum of Transport.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council apologised for the inconvenience.

He added: "The external drainage system did not cope with floodwater from yesterday's deluge of heavy rain.

"The floodwater backed up into a plant room which houses the controlling electronics for the pumps that supply the water tanks at Kelvingrove.

"The water supply, by design, cut out as part of the internal flood protection system for Kelvingrove."

Engineers were on site first thing in the morning and Kelvingrove opened its doors in the hope that the problem would be resolved quickly.