Ten airlifted to safety in Scotland after extreme rain causes landslides
A main road is blocked because of a landslide.
10 people have been airlifted to safety in Scotland after extreme weather and mudslides.
Areas like the A83 between Tarbet and Lochgilphead, north of Glasgow, are covered in soil and the A815 is also affected.
Police Scotland confirmed no injuries had been reported, although several vehicles are stuck.
A month’s worth of rain is expected to fall across Scotland today, as the Met Office issued Amber and yellow weather alerts for heavy downpours until Sunday morning.
Drivers in Argyll and Bute have been advised not to drive at all – with flooding reported on roads across the country.
Authorities have described it as a ‘major rainfall event’ as up to 180mm (8in) of rain has been forecast for parts of the Highlands
Rail passengers in England have also been urged not to travel to Scotland, with services either cancelled or running at reduced speeds.
Train services to Scotland
• Avanti West Coast is running no services north of Preston, causing knock-on delays elsewhere
• London North Eastern Railway trains north of Newcastle have been cancelled
• TransPennine Express is urging passengers not to travel on any of its routes to Scotland
• ScotRail is warning of ‘significant disruption to services’, with some routes suspended
Ruth Ellis, flood duty manager for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said: ‘We’re likely to see extensive river and surface water flooding impacts across those areas. Danger to life, widespread property flooding, flooding of roads and disruption to infrastructure is possible.’
Sporting events like the Alfred Dunhill Links golf championship at St Andrews is postponed until Sunday.
Dundee’s Scottish Premiership game with Ross County has also been called off due to a waterlogged pitch.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: ‘We were called to reports of multiple landslides on the A83 and A815 on the morning of October 7.
‘A number of vehicles were stuck between the landslides.
‘Emergency services, including HM Coastguard, attended and 10 people were airlifted to safety. There were no reports of injuries.
‘The roads remain closed and drivers are urged to avoid travel in the area.’
On the flip side, there are fine and settled conditions in the south today.
Oli Claydon, a spokesperson for the Met Office, said: ‘[It will be] dry for pretty much everyone in the southern half of the country and unseasonably warm temperatures as well.
‘As we get into the very far North of England and into Scotland that’s where the difference starts, with some persistent and heavy rain across Scotland and mostly notably in western Scotland, where we’re likely to see the highest totals.’
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