Scotland’s weather: Families in 72-hour blackout

MORE than 1,000 homes in Scotland were still without power this morning as storms continued to batter Scotland.
Engineers worked around the clock to restore power. Picture: PAEngineers worked around the clock to restore power. Picture: PA
Engineers worked around the clock to restore power. Picture: PA

Scottish Hydro said there are now 1,150 customers without electricity in Sutherland, Caithness, Invernessshire and the Western Isles, although they have reconnected over 100,000 since the hurricane force gales began on Thursday evening.

The company said the network appeared to have stood up well last night and engineers should be able to reconnect those remaining customers without power by the end of the day.

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The firm served more than 20,000 meals and 30,000 hot drinks to people affected by the power cuts.

As Met Office forecasters warned more severe weather would hit the north of Scotland, the disruption caused by the recent storms continues.

A small number of schools in the region remained closed.

Strathconon Primary has had no power since being cut off last week. Heating failures at the primary schools at Portree and Staffin on Skye have led to both being shut.

Mallaig Primary, which was shut after a fault was found with its chimney before Christmas, also remains closed.

Staff at the Ministry of Defence radar base on St Kilda have been evacuated because of high winds.

The Wick to Inverness rail service just after 8am was canclled.

Argyll Ferries has suspended its Gourock-Dunoon service. Alternative road transport has been arranged.

Northlink has cancelled its 8.45am Scrabster to Stromness sailing and this afternoon’s sailings on the Pentland Firth are under review.

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CalMac was also reporting some disruption and urged travellers to check before travelling to ports.

The M8 had one lane is closed between junctions 27 and 29 because of flooding. There was also a speed restriction between junction 13 at Provan and Glasgow airport because of surface water.

There are reports that wind has blown fencing blown down at Newtongrange as well as debris on the road too at Falahill and Heras.

Skye, Kessock, Dornoch, Clackmannanshire and Forth Road bridges were all closed to high sided vehicles.

Meanwhile, A woman died in a house fire at Lochend, Inverness-shire at the weekend.

The victim, named locally as 68-year-old Sandra Barton, is feared to have been burning candles because of a power cut at the time.

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