Road closed and weather warning extended as schoolgirl killed in mudslide named

A severe weather warning for rain has been extended as thousands face travel disruption and a schoolgirl has died.

Leah Harrison, a Year 6 pupil at Mount Pleasant Primary School, in Darlington, England, died after a mudslide on the edge of the North York Moors National Park on Wednesday.

Paying tribute to Leah, Lingfield Education Trust chief executive Nick Blackburn, said: “The full details are still emerging but this is clearly a heartbreaking tragedy.

“Leah was a much-loved part of our school and our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and the school staff.

“Counselling is being arranged within the school for pupils and staff. We are all in a state of shock and we would ask that the privacy of the family and the school community is respected while we try to come to terms with what has happened.”

The Met Office alert began at 12pm on Wednesday and is now in force until 3am on Friday covering the whole of central and southern Scotland.

The Met Office warned there is a risk of fast flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life.

Traffic Scotland confirmed that the A720 Dreghorn Westbound is closed due to flooding.

The warned drivers that there was heavy traffic on the approach all the way back from Sheriffhall with around 45 minute delay.

Thousands of train passengers are suffering disruption as a major line between England and Scotland is closed due to flooding.

The River Caldew has burst its banks and flooded the West Coast Main Line in Carlisle, meaning services between Glasgow Central / Edinburgh Waverley and Carlisle cannot run.

Most speed restrictions imposed on rail services have been lifted but 40mph limits remain on sections of the West Coast Mainline and Dumfries line until 7pm.

⚠️ Do not travel north of Preston.

Services between Preston & Glasgow/Edinburgh have been cancelled due to heavy flooding on the railway between Carlisle and Lockerbie blocking the line in both directions.

‼️ Please do not attempt to travel with us between Preston & Scotland.

— Avanti West Coast (@AvantiWestCoast) May 23, 2024

Rail provider Avanti West Coast warned commuters at about 6.30am that services between Preston and Glasgow/Edinburgh are subject to cancellation due to heavy flooding on the railway between Carlisle and Lockerbie.

“It’s very likely that many will see a month’s worth of rain, and in some spots possibly a lot more than that in 24 hours”

Sean Batty, STV meteorologist

It said in a post on X: “All routes north of Preston are currently blocked in both directions.”

STV meteorologist Sean Batty has said Scotland should brace for a month’s worth of rain within 24 hours.

“What can’t be ignored is that some of our computer models have been indicating totals as high as 150mm – which can be taken as a worst case scenario,” he said.

“With average rainfall totals for May around 50-70mm for the east of Scotland it’s very likely that many will see a month’s worth of rain, and in some spots possibly a lot more than that in 24 hours.

“This is likely to lead to some flooding issues on Wednesday night and into Thursday, especially after the recent drier conditions which will have hardened the ground a little in some areas, which leads to increased run-off.”

The Met Office said the area had seen almost a month’s worth of rain in the past day, with 41.6mm of rain recorded over the last 24 hours in Loftus, a town 20 miles away.

Across Scotland, the Met Office warned of a chance of power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses.

There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to some buildings, and where flooding occurs, there is a chance of delays or cancellations to train and bus services.

Spray and flooding could also lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures with the risk that some communities will become cut off by flooded routes.

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