New documentary charts catastrophic weather event which claimed the lives of five family members

January 11 is a date forever etched in the memory of the community of Uist and Benbecula.

Twenty years ago it brought a violent storm, with winds reaching 124mph. A deep low, co-inciding with a high tide, wreaked damage and devastation and five members of one family lost their lives.

Archie and Murdina MacPherson, their children Andrew and Hannah and Murdina’s father Calum Campbell, died as they fled flood waters and strong winds in South Uist. Their families and loved ones mourn and remember them each and every day.

In Eòrpa: After the Storm, Uist-based reporter Shona speaks to relatives of those lost on that tragic night and asks how prepared Uist is for the impacts and effects of future climate change.

Murdina’s brother Neil was in Uist when the storm hit. He told Shona how he’d planned to meet his sister and her family on the evening of the storm. It would involve driving from his home in Benbecula to Murdina’s home in South Uist, a journey he wouldn’t be able to complete.

He said: “I was on my way to Lochdar, and it was dark and really stormy when I turned the corner at Poll nan Crann. The wind hit the car and seawater started gushing through in front of me. I just froze.”

Archie’s father David MacPherson was working at the local Ministry of Defence (MoD) missile range on the night of the storm. Following the power cut, the site generator then ran out of fuel."

He said: “I was at QinetiQ at the time and I was alone at the Range. The lights went out at 3pm just after my shift started. I was in darkness. I’ll never forget it, how terrifying it was. I had no idea what was happening down the road. It was a horrific time.”

Cirsty Macinnes was a close friend of Murdina’s. Speaking publicly for the first time about the tragedy of 2005, she said: “It’s been 20 years but I still find it hard to look at her house when i have to drive past it. She came home to give her children a safe place to grown up. The house is still there, but they’re not.”

Exteme weather events are more common and severe.

The small low-lying island of Baleshare is connected to the west coast of North Uist by a single-track causeway built in 1962. Islanders like Stuart Matheson are campaigning for it to be improved or replaced, concerned about repeated over-topping by the sea during stormy weather and high tides.

With the tragedy of 2005 in mind, he said: “It’s happened in the islands before; nobody wants it to happen again. The way the causeway is just now, we think it’s a high possibility, another tragedy could happen if somebody did try to cross it in bad weather, so yes, it is quite a concern for a lot of people.”

Presenter Shona says she was deeply moved by the accounts of those who remember that tragic night.

She said: "Speaking to the relatives and friends who lost so much that night was an enormous privilege.

"Their sorrow is etched on their face, and can be heard in their voice. The disappointment that more has not been done to protect islanders from storms is also clear. Add to that the fear in Baleshare of a tragedy happening there.

"From speaking to local and national politicians, the government in Holyrood say the responsibility for the Baleshare causeway for example lies with the council, who in turn say they have a number of competing projects vying for funding – the causeway being one.

"Despite local MSP Alasdair Allan saying that the community will be in a perilous situation in 10 years time, there is no resolution in sight.”

Eòrpa: After the Storm will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC ALBA at 9pm on January 29 (in Gaelic with English subtitles).