Recovery under way after storms kill man and cut power to 800,000 properties

The recovery is under way after two storms in three days saw one man killed by a falling tree and more than 800,000 properties lose power.

The final weather warning ended at 9pm on Sunday after Storm Boelo pummelled the north of the UK, bringing 84mph gusts and a third of a month’s rain to pockets of Scotland.

Power cuts hit 838,700 British properties during Boelo and its predecessor by hours, Storm Austen.

By 7pm on Sunday, 90,600 customers were still without power, said the Energy Networks Association, which represents operators in the UK and Ireland.

A 60-year-old man died after he was hit by a falling tree in Dumfries and Galloway, western Scotland, at about 10.30am on Sunday.

Two women were also taken to hospital after they were struck by another falling tree in Aberfeldy, Perth and Kinross.

First Minister John Swinney met senior politicians, emergency teams and forecasters on Sunday to discuss the ongoing response to the weather, amid warnings that similar conditions will return early next week.

After the meeting, Stuart Wilson, of Transport Scotland, said “significant recovery work” is required before the network returns to normal.

Meanwhile, Scottish Social Justice and Housing Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Disruption to travel is likely to continue into tomorrow and I strongly recommend people check official sources such as the Met Office, Traffic Scotland, transport operators and local authority channels before setting out.

“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.”

A yellow Met Office warning for strong winds and potentially damaging gusts is in place from 3am Tuesday to midnight for the far north of England, Scotland, and the far north east of Northern Ireland.

Footage showed floodwater coursing around the town of Largs, North Ayrshire, on Sunday.

Staff at its Thai restaurant Tha-Tien-Thai shared a video of their kitchen over-run by water with the caption: “There is nothing left.”

It closed its doors for the foreseeable future “due to larger flood restoration than originally planned”.

Dangerous buildings in Ayr, south-west Scotland, were evacuated by police, as well as a caravan park in Ballantrae, around 33 miles away.

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

Police Scotland said everyone at the care home was accounted for, local road closures were in place and officers were expected to remain on site overnight to assist.

Some flights were diverted from landing at Leeds Bradford Airport and others were cancelled.

Train journeys were also disrupted. Network Rail Scotland shared an image of flooding from the tracks to the platform in one Glasgow station and fallen trees above the lines near another.

Speed restrictions were in place across Scotland and several sections of its railways closed, the operator added.

It came after Network Rail posted photographs of a trampoline beneath a train and a shed by the tracks, in a call for those living near rail lines to firmly secure their garden furniture.

Collapsed trees, cables on carriageways, strong winds and damaged surfaces prompted closures to major roads in Scotland.

Storm Boelo followed Storm Austen, which brought strong winds to southern parts of the UK on Friday.

Gusts of 76mph were recorded at St Mary’s Airport in the Isles of Scilly, with 74mph at Aberporth in South Wales and 71mph at Culdrose in Cornwall.

A fishing boat stranded at Irvine Harbour in Ayrshire after coming loose from its moorings when Storm Boelo passed through the area (Jane Barlow/PA)

PA Wire

Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell said it is hard to compare storm to storm because they affect different areas and “if a branch falls on your car in one, then you’re probably going to feel like that one was the worst storm ever”.

Storm Amy brought a gust of about 92mph and more than 100ml of rain to similar parts of the UK last year, which appears more severe than these two, he pointed out.

Storms often happen in quick succession, Mr Snell said, adding that Bert, Conall and Darragh appeared in about one week in 2024.

“If the atmosphere is ripe for storm, it tends to mean it’s ripe for a couple of storms, so it is a fairly common thing,” he said.

The looming low pressure system does not appear as potent as Austen and Boelo.

There were no current plans to name it as of Sunday afternoon but it will bring further wet and windy weather, Mr Snell said.

The country can expect a return to more dry and settled conditions after that, he added.

The Environment Agency on Sunday night had issued 10 warnings that flooding is expected and 65 alerts where it is possible.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency said 10 flood warnings and 11 flood alerts were active as of the same time.