Thousands without power and schools shut after Storm Boelo

Thousands of homes remain without power and several schools are closed following the fatal Storm Boelo.

A 60-year-old man was killed by a falling tree in Dumfries and Galloway on Sunday during the storm, which battered Scotland with 80mph gusts.

The storm, which sparked yellow and amber weather warnings for wind across the country, resulted in power outages and travel disruption.

On Monday morning, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said around 25,000 customers remained without power, while around 70,000 had been reconnected.

An SSEN spokesperson said: “We’ve now restored power to two-thirds of customers impacted by Storm Boelo, and our focus today is firmly on reconnecting those who remain without supply.

“Our teams have been out from first light, assessing damage, carrying out repairs and working through faults as quickly and safely as conditions allow.

“We know how difficult it is to be without power and we’re doing everything we can to restore supplies to the remaining 25,000 customers.

“We thank customers for their patience while our teams work as quickly and safely as possible to reconnect everyone.”

SP Energy Networks said that as of lunchtime on Monday, around 1,500 customers remain without power, mainly across Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway, while more than 50,000 have been reconnected.

Aileen Rourke, distribution licence director, said: “Our specialist teams continue to work around the clock to respond to storm-related damage across the network, including faults caused by fallen trees, branches and other debris.”

On the railways, Network Rail said most train services would return to normal on Monday but passengers were urged to check their journeys online before they tried to travel

ScotRail said that the “vast majority” of services were running on Monday morning.

Signs at the Ferry terminal at Wemyss Bay (Jane Barlow/PA)

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In Aberdeenshire, 13 primary schools without power were shut on Monday, while Ellon Academy was closed because of storm damage. Ten primary schools were shut in the Highlands.

The A78 Shore Road between Skelmorlie and Largs in North Ayrshire remains closed in both directions following “significant damage” to the carriageway and sea wall during Storm Boelo, while some ferry services are facing disruption.

On Sunday evening, emergency services were called to a flooded care home in Sidney Street, Saltcoats in North Ayrshire.

Police Scotland said everyone at the home was accounted for and that local road closures were in place.

Storm Boelo swept in soon after Storm Austen brought heavy rain to many areas on Friday.

More windy weather is forecast for Tuesday, when a Met Office yellow warning will be in force from 3am to 9pm for the country north of Peebles and west of Lockerbie.

In a post on X on Monday, First Minister John Swinney expressed his condolences over the death in Dumfries and Galloway and that of another man in his 20s who died during the storm in north London.

“My deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the two people who have tragically lost their lives as a result of Storm Boelo,” he said.

“My thoughts are with all those affected by the damage, and I thank the emergency services working through the night to keep people safe.”

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander – speaking during a visit to a shipyard in Fife – added that the UK Government “stands ready” to help in any way it can.

“Resilience is a devolved competence,” he told the Press Association.

“We stand ready to support the Scottish Government in its endeavours and obviously our thoughts are with those who have been affected by the storms, whether in Saltcoats, whether in Largs or in other communities that have seen flooding as a consequence in the last couple of days.”

The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGORR) met on Sunday to discuss the fallout from the storm.

Social Justice and Housing Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said on Sunday: “While we expect some respite from the adverse weather during the day on Monday, there is a possibility of more severe weather conditions early on in the week and we urge everyone to continue to follow advice and heed any warnings.

“If anyone is isolated or needs help or assistance, they should not hesitate to seek help from the appropriate authorities.

“We continue to monitor the situation and work closely with partners to respond quickly and try to mitigate the effects of Storm Boelo as far as possible.”

Flood water on the A8 in Port Glasgow (Jane Barlow/PA)

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Gary Hopkirk, route director at Network Rail Scotland, thanked people for their patience.

He said: “It’s been a really challenging weekend for Scotland’s railway and particularly for the teams who’ve been out in some very difficult conditions responding to whatever the weather has thrown at us.

“Our focus throughout has been on keeping people safe and trains moving wherever possible.

“Now the worst of the weather has passed, our attention is on getting the railway back to normal. We’ll be working as quickly as we can, but we won’t compromise on safety.”

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail service delivery director, added: “While good progress is being made, there are still a small number of routes where work will continue into Monday morning.

“We’re working closely with Network Rail to get these reopened as quickly as possible, but our priority remains the safety of our customers and staff, and trains will only resume when it is safe to do so.”