These are the areas of Scotland worst affected by flooding after huge thunder and lightning storms

Parts of Fife were affected by flooding on Wednesday (12 August) (Photo: SWNS)Parts of Fife were affected by flooding on Wednesday (12 August) (Photo: SWNS)
Parts of Fife were affected by flooding on Wednesday (12 August) (Photo: SWNS)

Huge thunderstorms and heavy rain struck Scotland on Tuesday evening (11 August), causing major flooding and travel disruption in several parts of the country.

Rail passengers and motorists were faced with major delays on Wednesday (12 August), as authorities worked to clear the aftermath left by the extreme weather.

Which areas have been worst affected by flooding?

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Several schools in Fife and Aberdeen were forced to close due to flooding problems on the day pupils were due to return to classrooms after lockdown.

Glenrothes and Lochgelly High School were among the centres of education affected, after torrential rain and thunderstorms caused widespread disruption across central and eastern Scotland.

Twenty-nine nurseries, primary schools and high schools across the two council areas were unable to open due to health and safety issues.

Aberdeen city council said that staff were “dealing with the situation”, while Fife council warned that other schools and nurseries may be partially closed due to the adverse conditions.

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The adverse weather also caused a landslide in Fife, leading to the closure of the A921 between Kinghorn and Burntisland, leading police to urge motorists to use an alternative route.

The thunderstorms also brought fire and flooding to parts of Falkirk, with firefighters rushed to deal with a fire at Thomas Johnston’s butcher shop in the early hours which is believed to have been caused by a lightning strike.

There were also reports of fires at residential properties in Garry Place, Hallglen and Reddingrig Place, Reddingmuirhead.

Flooding affected the car park at the Cadgers Brae Brewers Fayre on Beancross Road, near Polmont, while there were reports of cars being enveloped by floodwater in Langton Road, Westquarter.

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Heavy flooding also affected Kirkcaldy, with cars parked at the town’s Victoria Hospital seen piled on top of each other after floating from the high water level.

Cars were half-submerged in floodwater in streets in Perth, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was called to multiple reports of flooding in the Perthshire area.

Many domestic properties were affected by the floods, while Perth and Kinross Council said several roads in the area were impassable due to high water levels.

At 7am, the council tweeted that Feus Road, Marshall Place, Wallace Crescent, Crammond Place, Crieff Road, Glasgow Road and A912 at Bogle Bridge were affected, while surface water was causing problems in many other areas.

What about roads and rail services?

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Several rail services across the country were delayed or cancelled on Wednesday (12 August) due to “extremely heavy rain” and flooding on the railway.

Three people died in a train derailment in Aberdeenshire and six people were injured, after the 6.38am Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street ScotRail service crashed amid heavy rain and flooding.

British Transport Police (BTP) said those pronounced dead at the scene near Stonehaven include the train’s driver.

It is understood the locomotive and three carriages derailed and slid down an embankment with the Aslef train drivers’ union saying it then caught fire.

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On the roads, some vehicles were recovered after they were abandoned due to flooding on the M8, which was partly closed for a time and later reopened.

Is more thunder on the way?

Weather warnings remain in place for much of the UK, with the Met Office issuing a yelllow thunderstorm warning for southwest Scotland, with the potential for lightning, heavy rainfall and hail on Thursday (13 August).

Parts of the southwest may experience power cuts and flooding during thundery showers in the morning, with the weather warning due to lift before midday.