Ten people airlifted to safety as multiple landslides hit roads in Scotland

Ten people have been airlifted to safety after heavy rainfall and flooding triggered a series of landslides in Scotland.

Drivers have been urged to avoid travelling through the Argyll and Bute area due to significant disruption on the roads.

Police and Coastguard rescuers were called to reports of multiple landslides on the A83 and A815 this morning, leaving several vehicles stuck.

It came as the Met Office issued an amber and yellow weather warnings covering most of the country, with warnings of homes being flooded and a danger to life from fast flowing water.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “A number of vehicles were stuck between the landslides. Emergency services, including HM Coastguard, attended and ten 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.”

Vincent Fitzsimons, flood duty manager for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), said: “I want to be very clear that this is not a normal autumn day for Scotland. “We’re expecting extensive river and surface water flooding in affected areas. There is a danger to life.

"There will be widespread impacts to road and rail. There is a risk of more significant community scale property flooding.” Sporting events across Scotland have been hit by the heavy rain with the third round of the Alfred Dunhill Links golf championship at St Andrews being postponed until Sunday.

Dundee’s Scottish Premiership game with Ross County has also been called off due to a waterlogged pitch with Dunfermline’s Championship clash with Arbroath also being postponed after failing a pitch inspection. In League Two, Bonnyrigg Rose’s match against East Fife and Elgin City’s home game with Stenhousemuir have also fallen foul of the weather. Rail services being cancelled on Saturday include London North Eastern Railway (LNER) trains north of Newcastle as well as several routes across Scotland.

Avanti West Coast also advised customers between Scotland and Preston not to travel, and confirmed there would be no services running north of the latter. Transpennine Express services between Manchester, Liverpool, Preston to Carlisle and Glasgow and Edinburgh are also affected. Network Rail Scotland posted on X, formerly Twitter: “A month’s worth of rain is expected today, likely leading to widespread flooding across Scotland. “With this in mind, we’re limiting train speeds on almost all routes to protect passengers, staff and the railway. Check your journey before travelling.” A LNER spokesman said: “Customers are advised not to travel north of Newcastle.”

Tom Morgan, a Met Office meteorologist, said: “There is a huge contrast in weather across the UK, it’s very wet across much of Scotland where we have several weather warnings in place including an amber warning. “This could cause widespread disruption across the region such as flooded roads, the potential for landslides and issues with the trains as lines are being closed pre-emptively. “There could be a month’s worth of rain falling while for many other parts of the UK, Northern Ireland and Wales it’s unseasonably warm with temperatures of up to 25C and a small chance of 25C tomorrow.”

He explained the contrasting weather was caused by warm weather travelling up from France meeting cold weather coming from the north with the temperature contrast leading to the heavy rain in Scotland. The Met Office said this area could see as much as 150-180mm of rainfall accumulating in the wettest spots with many areas suffering heavy rain already overnight. Scotland’s Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop said: “It’s important people plan their journeys before they set off. “Motorists should make sure their routes are available, follow the travel advice from Police Scotland and drive in accordance with the conditions. “If you are planning to travel by train, ferry or plane, please check with your operators to see if the conditions are having any impact on your services.”

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