Drivers rescued after being trapped by landslides near Glencoe

Mountain rescuers have freed a driver who was trapped inside his vehicle after it was caught in a landslide in the Highlands.

Volunteers from the Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team rescued the man whose vehicle was stuck between two landslides

The incident happened on the B863, which connects Glencoe and Kinlochleven, near Fort William.

In a statement on Facebook, a team spokesman said: “Dramatic scenes on the B863 last night as GMR came to the aid of a stricken driver.

“During a period of localised heavy downpours yesterday evening, there were a number of landslides on the high road between Glencoe and Kinlochleven.

“Our volunteers were requested by Police Scotland to attend to assist a lone motorist who had become trapped between two slides.

“Team members were able to quickly access the scene, covering a short distance on foot before helping the driver to safety.”

Another incident involving a female driver occurred on the same road in similar conditions.

Police Scotland asked the team to assist the driver who was blocked by a 100-tonne landslide and had to make a three-point-turn to head back the way she came.

However, the road back was then blocked by a second, larger landslide, which took place about 328ft from her car.

The road remains closed.

Drivers face travelling more than 100 miles around the blockage.

The A86 Laggan to Spean Bridge road is expected to reopen at 8pm, in the meantime a 100-mile diversion was in place.

The Highlands have experienced thunderstorms and rain over the past 48 hours following days of hot, dry weather.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (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.

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.

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

The A86 is an important connection between the A9 Inverness to Perth Road 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.

The A86 has reopened but is restricted to with temporary traffic lights in place to help control traffic as worker try to stabilise the hillside.

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 Friday evening for repairs to be carried out on the line.

Trains are unable to run between Fort William and Crianlarich with ScotRail providing replacement buses but are unable to stop at towns along the A86.

UPDATE: Buses replace trains all day between Crianlarich & Fort William in both directions.

The buses are unable to serve Spean Bridge, Roy Bridge, Tulloch, Corrour or Rannoch.

Trains are still running between Glasgow, Crianlarich & Oban and Fort William & Mallaig. pic.twitter.com/zdKTKAagNx

— ScotRail (@ScotRail) June 14, 2023

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, resulting in fire crews battling for days to dampen the flames.

The Met Office has issued thunderstorm warnings for the past three days for parts of the Highlands, with the most recent covering the west coast from noon until 9pm tonight.