Four adults were rescued from a flooded business and two road bridges were reportedly “washed away” as parts of the UK were lashed by extreme rain.
Flooding has caused havoc in England and Scotland with residents evacuated from flooded homes and roads and rail links blocked, causing travel chaos.
More than a month's worth of rain was expected in parts of North West England and South West Scotland.
The Met Office is predicting more rain to come with 30 flood warnings in place for England and Scotland.
ScotsRail said the rail line between Dumfries and Carlisle "will be closed until further notice" and rail replacement transport has been requested for Friday morning.
Pictures released on social media by Nithsdale Police showed a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service boat in use in the Whitesands area of the town, reported the Daily Record.
A tweet from the local police said that all those involved were “safe and well.”
And a Network Rail tweet on Thursday night said: “Two road bridges have been washed away on the river Annan, north of the railway.
“We're unable to allow trains to pass over the Annan Viaduct pending a daylight safety inspection."
It comes after dramatic aerial footage emerged earlier revealing the extent of flooding in Dumfries after the River Nith burst its banks.
The four-minute clip reveals the extent of the flooding, with a number of homes and businesses affected by heavy rainfall.
The Whitesands area, which is shown in the video, has been closed off by emergency services.
A major incident was also declared in Hawick this afternoon due to the severe flooding, with up to 500 properties potentially affected due to the rising level of the River Teviot.
Police in the borders town led a multi-agency operation - alongside the fire service, council and NHS Borders - to evacuate buildings.
A decision was taken to close Trinity Primary School and Hawick High School and the health board decided to close Teviot Health Centre and all services operating within it.
The flooding situation in Peebles was also described by the council as very serious, with all schools closing early in the afternoon.
Chief Inspector Vinnie Fisher said: "We are working with our colleagues at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Scottish Borders Council to safely move all of those affected and ensure they are appropriately accommodated for the time being," he said.
"I would urge the public to avoid travel within the region unless absolutely necessary and to pay attention for more information as we continue to respond to this matter."
Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team were also called out to assist in Hawick amid fears that properties in the town were in danger of flooding.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) reported 116mm of rain at Eskdalemuir Observatory in the 36 hours to 9am on Thursday, well above levels over the previous days.
While the Met Office tweeted on Thursday afternoon 358mm of rain had been recorded at Honister Pass in Cumbria in the past 38 hours.
An amber warning of heavy rain for Cumbria in North-West England is in force until 11.59pm on Thursday while a yellow warning of rain, which also includes Yorkshire and Humber, is now in force from midnight until 3pm on Friday.
A yellow warning of rain for south-west England is valid from 3pm on Thursday until 9am on Friday while one is already in force in Wales and lasts until 3pm on Friday.
Cumbria Police warned that some roads may be impassable while the Environment Agency has confirmed that many homes have been flooded.
Scotland’s transport minister Graeme Dey said: “The conditions could potentially bring disruption to the trunk road and rail networks, so it’s important people plan their journeys before they set off.
“Motorists should make sure their routes are available, follow travel advice from Police Scotland and drive to the conditions.”
He added: “If you are planning to travel by rail, please check with your operator ahead of your journey. This is particularly important for cross-border travellers following the earlier disruption to services.”
The Environment Agency has is also predicting plenty more flooding for the coming days.
UK forecast for the next 5 days
This Evening and Tonight:
Band of rain, often heavy, across Wales, western and northern England will move slowly eastwards overnight, whilst turning more showery in the west. Clear spells and a few showers in the far north and northwest. Windy in the south.
Friday:
Further rain moving north-west across many areas through the day, along with a spell of strong winds. This followed by sunny spells and scattered showers.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday:
Unsettled with bands of rain and showers, heavy at times, and often windy. Some bright or sunny spells also. Temperatures around average for the time of year.
