A mother and daughter from Campbeltown say they are lucky to be alive after escaping their car moments before it was swept away in a landslide on the A83 during Saturday’s torrential rain.
Fiona and Kiera Smith were travelling to Ayr for a birthday celebration when their car became stuck on rubble near the Rest and Be Thankful.
A police officer tried in vain to help them move the Vauxhall Zafira – then began screaming at them to run. Kiera narrowly avoided being hit by rocks as tonnes of mud and debris came down the hillside.
“Do not travel,” Kiera warned fellow travellers in Argyll at 10am on October 7, posting a photograph of a car caught in the middle of a raging landslide on the A83 social media page. “This is my family’s car.
“Me and my mum were travelling up towards Glasgow, and we got stuck on a rock or stick that was hidden in the water. As we were stuck a police officer ran towards us screaming to get out the car and run. About two minutes later a landslide hit our car.”
Her mum Fiona Smith said things happened quickly. The road was passable and the police let their car through, “but the landslide just came down in seconds”, she said.
Kiera, 19, said: “Adrenaline definitely kicked in once I heard that landslide. It was probably the fastest I’ve ran in God knows how long. I’d ran past five cars by the time the landslide hit ours.
“Even whilst running a rock shot past my feet and head so even then we were still close to it all.”
Kiera said when the second landslide hit, it “took the car over the edge and down into the ditch below”.
“We are lucky the police officer managed to scream at us in time to get us out the car, and get herself out the way too, whilst warning the cars around us as well.
“We are okay and we’re the only ones effected by this. Three landslides happened around us, two of which hit the car.
“A big thank you to the lorry driver that kindly took us in and helped us get to safety. Thank you for taking us under your wing.”
Roy Cameron replied: “I was happy to help you and your mum out yesterday, and hope you managed to get dry and rest at the hotel.
“I was just doing what everyone else would do and help someone when the need it. Stay safe and hope you get home safely.”
“Thank God for that policeman, you could have been killed,” remarked one person. “I hope that brave police lady gets a commendation!” said another.
The area around the A83 Rest and Be Thankful saw a month’s worth of rainfall, around 160mm, fall over 36 hours.
At least seven landslips struck the A83, including several at the Rest and Be Thankful, both sides of the A815 junction to Dunoon, closing the arterial road between Inveraray and Tarbet, stranding many inside and outside Argyll.
Another four landslips were caught in debris pits.
They were :
- One small landslide at the Rest and be Thankful. Debris reached the road and was cleared.
- Two further landslides at the Rest and be Thankful. Debris was captured in the debris net and debris pit.
- Four landslides at Glen Kinglas. Debris reached the road and has been cleared.
- Two small landslides at Glen Kinglas which were captured in the debris bund.
- Two very substantial landslides on the A83 at the A815 Dunoon junction. The debris which reached the road has been cleared.
Ten people caught in cars between the landslides on Saturday were airlifted out to safety by HM Coastguard. “There were no reports of injuries,” the police added.
Contractors worked round the clock clearing the debris, including A&L McCrae, who photographed Kiera and Fiona’s stricken car in the mud.
The A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful and in Glen Kinglas and the A815 were re-opened on Wednesday afternoon.
