UK: Train derailment in Stonehaven (Aberdeenshire) declared major incident August 12 /update 1

Event

A train derailment in the Stonehaven area of Aberdeenshire on Wednesday, August 12, has been declared a major incident, with dozens of emergency crews attending the scene. The incident reportedly occurred at around 09:45 (local time), although it is currently unclear whether there have been any injuries from the derailment. Some reports suggest that part of the train is currently on fire. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has since stated that it is an "extremely serious incident".

The incident comes amid major flooding in areas of Fife, North Lanarkshire, and Perthshire, following heavy downpours and thunderstorms overnight. The floods have caused significant travel disruption in some areas, with several roads in Perthshire being blocked, while rail services have been disrupted following a number of lightning strikes on critical infrastructure.

Emergency response operations are likely to cause localized disruption in the Stonehaven area in the near term.

Advice

Those in Aberdeenshire are advised to monitor developments and should anticipate localized disruption in the area, particularly to rail services.