Landslide in United Kingdom on Sunday, 08 March, 2015 at 13:08

Heavy rain in Scotland has caused a 100 tonne landslide and flooding on roads across parts of the Highlands. The A87 Invergarry to Kyle of Lochalsh road was closed overnight at Cluanie. A clean-up has been taking place and traffic is beginning to get through. The A84 has also partially reopened after flooding. Several smaller roads were also shut and surface water has been affecting parts of the A9. More than 30 flood warnings are in place across Scotland. The A87 landslide came after 158mm of rain fell in the area in the space of 36 hours. This saturated the slope above the road and caused about 100 tonnes of debris to slip down the hillside. The road is operating under go/stop signs and temporary traffic signals will be in place overnight. It is likely the route will fully reopen on Monday. Police Scotland said the public should be "vigilant of persistent and heavy rainfall" through the weekend. Richard Brown, from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said: "Localised flooding of low-lying land and roads is expected, and there may be some disruption to travel. Flooding of individual properties in low-lying areas is also possible." Transport Minister Derek Mackay warned drivers to check conditions before they travel and leave some extra time for their journeys. The heavy rain forms part of a weather mechanism known as the Foehn Effect, which has also seen temperatures in north east Scotland rise to 15C.

referens: Emergency and Disaster Information Service