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Schools shut, roads flooded and trains cancelled as thunderstorms batter north-east

by Callum Main
12/08/2020, 9:26 am Updated: 12/08/2020, 6:30 pm

More than a dozen schools across the north-east are closed today, on what should have been some pupils’ first day back after five months.

Picture by Diane Oliver
Picture by Darren Forrest

It comes as thunderstorms hit, causing flash flooding on roads across the region.

A flood warning has been issued by SEPA for Stonehaven, with an alert in place for the rest of the north-east, and the Met Office issued an Amber level alert for most of Aberdeenshire.

At the storm’s peak, there were dozens of lightning strikes recorded in the north-east every minute, according to Lightningmaps.org.

Schools

In Aberdeenshire, Mearns, Mackie and Portlethen academies are all closed, with Alford reporting delays to transport.

Primary schools in Stonehaven, including Dunnottar and Mill O’ Forest, are also shut.

A full list of affected schools in Aberdeenshire can be found here.

In Aberdeen Fernielea, Broomhill, Milltimber and Kittybrewster schools, along with Harlaw Academy are also shut today.

A full list of affected schools in Aberdeen can be found here.

Roads and Travel

Flooding at Duthie Park
© Picture by Mike Hay

Council teams across both Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire are responding, along with emergency services, to reports of burst manhole covers and flooded drains.

Dramatic footage posted on social media show fountains of water shooting out of the road in places including Garthdee and Stonehaven.

In Aberdeen, roads around Garthdee, Holburn Street and Great Southern Road are all heavily flooded, with Polmuir Road and the entrance to Duthie Park also underwater.

Virginia Street is also reportedly only passable for larger vehicles.

Traffic Scotland also reported the area around the AWPR junction at Stonehaven was also flooded, however, this appears to have been cleared.

There are reports of flooding at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, the airport and the Bristows helicopter terminal.

In Portlethen there is reports of flooding near the junction with the A92, with debris on the road due to the volume of water in the area.

Police are urging motorists to only make journeys if they are necessary after receiving a large number of calls due to the localised flooding.

ScotRail has also warned of disruption this morning, with services to and from Aberdeen cancelled due to the weather.

For the latest on the schools, flooding and weather, follow our live blog below