A86 closed due to landslides with motorists facing 100-mile …
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The A86 Laggan to Spean Bridge road has been closed due to landslides following heavy rainfall.
The Highlands have experienced thunderstorms and rain over the past 48 hours following days of hot, dry weather.
The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency[1] (Sepa) has also issued 16 flood warnings across the country.
These include Skye and Lochaber, Wester Ross, Easter Ross and Great Glen, Findhorn Nairn Moray and Speyside, Caithness and Sutherland, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen.
Flood alerts are raised across the north and north-east. Image: DC Thomson.
Heavy rainfall has led to landslides which have closed the A86 road between the Bohenie turn-off and the turn-off for Tulloch train station.
The A86 is an important connection between the A9 Inverness to Perth Road[2] and the A82 Inverness to Fort William Road.
A diversion is in place for motorists, but this would mean travelling north towards Fort Augustus on towards Inverness before coming back down the A9.
This means adding more than 100 miles to journeys between places like Fort William/Spean Bridge and the A9.
It is not yet known how long the closure will be in place for.
Police Scotland would like to advise that due to landslides, there is a road closure on the A86 between Laggan and Spean Bridge. The B863 is also closed in it’s entirety.
Diversions are in place and the public are asked to avoid the area if possible.
— Police Scotland Highland & Islands (@PSOSHighland) June 12, 2023[3]
Glencoe MRT tasked to assist stuck driver.
Glencoe Mountain Rescue were called to assist a female driver[4] on the B863 Kinlochleven to Glencoe road after parts of the road were damaged due to flooding.
Police Scotland asked the team to assist the driver who was blocked by a 100-tonne landslide and when she made a three-point-turn to head back the way she came, just missing being hit by a second, larger landslide, which took place about 100 metres from her car.
Team members were able to quickly access the scene, covering a short distance on foot before helping the driver to safety.
Landslides due to heavy rainfall near Glencoe. Image: GMR.
Investigations on rail line
Network Rail has also carried out inspections on the West Highland Line which runs close to the A86 calling at Tulloch train station.
Investigators were sent out to inspect the line which has been damaged by flooding last night.
The line has been closed due to damage with Network Rail saying there are “two different areas of concern” along the route.
Trains travelling along West Highland Line have been suspended until Thursday morning for repairs to be carried out on the line.
Trains are unable to run between Fort William and Crianlarich.
/2 Following our extensive investigation work overnight, we now expect the West Highland Line between Roy Bridge and Tulloch to be closed until Thursday morning, due to damage to the track caused by flooding. We’ll share more details later this morning.
— Network Rail Scotland (@NetworkRailSCOT) June 13, 2023[5]
Parts of the Highlands have been left sodden, with Drumnadrochit receiving some of the most intense rainfall, according to STV meteorologist Sean Batty.
However, just last week that same area west of Loch Ness was scorched by wildfires close to Cannich[6], resulting in fire crews battling for days to dampen the flames.
The Met Office has issued thunderstorm warnings[7] for the past three days for parts of the Highlands, with the most recent covering the west coast from noon until 9pm tonight.
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References
- ^ Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (floodline.sepa.org.uk)
- ^ A9 Inverness to Perth Road (www.pressandjournal.co.uk)
- ^ June 12, 2023 (twitter.com)
- ^ called to assist a female driver (www.pressandjournal.co.uk)
- ^ June 13, 2023 (twitter.com)
- ^ scorched by wildfires close to Cannich (www.pressandjournal.co.uk)
- ^ Met Office has issued thunderstorm warnings (www.metoffice.gov.uk)
- ^ Sign in (www.pressandjournal.co.uk)