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| Scotland storm: Work to restore power to homes | Scotland storm: Work to restore power to homes |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Engineers are trying to reconnect about 40,000 Scottish homes still left without power after Thursday's storm. | |
| The strong storm - the worst in the UK for a decade - brought down trees, closed roads and schools and knocked out power lines. | The strong storm - the worst in the UK for a decade - brought down trees, closed roads and schools and knocked out power lines. |
| The storm eased in the central belt on Thursday evening but caused problems across the north and north east. | The storm eased in the central belt on Thursday evening but caused problems across the north and north east. |
| Power companies said most people should be reconnected on Friday but many may not have electricity until the weekend. | Power companies said most people should be reconnected on Friday but many may not have electricity until the weekend. |
| Meanwhile, all travel restrictions have now been lifted, although some minor roads remain closed. | Meanwhile, all travel restrictions have now been lifted, although some minor roads remain closed. |
| Less than 5% of schools stayed closed on Friday. | Less than 5% of schools stayed closed on Friday. |
| Scotland's deputy first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said: "While the worst of the weather has now passed, we are now seeing the after-effects of this storm, with a number of homes across Scotland still left without power. | Scotland's deputy first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said: "While the worst of the weather has now passed, we are now seeing the after-effects of this storm, with a number of homes across Scotland still left without power. |
| "Contractors are working hard to resolve remaining issues with power supplies and on our transport network in difficult conditions. | "Contractors are working hard to resolve remaining issues with power supplies and on our transport network in difficult conditions. |
| "Scottish and Southern Energy and Scottish Power have informed us that between them they now have more than 1,300 engineers - many drafted in from other areas - working hard across the country to get power back to customers. | "Scottish and Southern Energy and Scottish Power have informed us that between them they now have more than 1,300 engineers - many drafted in from other areas - working hard across the country to get power back to customers. |
| "They report that they expect that the vast majority of homes will have power back over the course of today." | "They report that they expect that the vast majority of homes will have power back over the course of today." |
| About 150,000 homes are thought to have lost power during the day on Thursday and more than 70,000 were off overnight. | About 150,000 homes are thought to have lost power during the day on Thursday and more than 70,000 were off overnight. |
| Scottish Hydro, which is part of power giant SSE, said it had reconnected 32,000 customers and was continuing to work hard restoring power to a remaining 38,000 homes. | |
| The power firm, which supplies most areas north of Stirling, said all parts of its region were affected. | The power firm, which supplies most areas north of Stirling, said all parts of its region were affected. |
| Argyll was the worst affected area, with Tayside, the north east and the Highlands badly hit. | Argyll was the worst affected area, with Tayside, the north east and the Highlands badly hit. |
| A spokesman said: "Scottish Hydro Power Distribution (SHEPD) is making very good progress in the efforts to restore electricity supplies following the substantial damage caused to the electricity network by yesterday's exceptional weather. | A spokesman said: "Scottish Hydro Power Distribution (SHEPD) is making very good progress in the efforts to restore electricity supplies following the substantial damage caused to the electricity network by yesterday's exceptional weather. |
| "Nearly 800 engineers began working in difficult conditions at 06:00 this morning to restore electricity supplies to over 70,000 customers who were without power last night. | |
| "Access to many parts of the country continues to be hampered by roads blocked by trees and other wind borne debris. | "Access to many parts of the country continues to be hampered by roads blocked by trees and other wind borne debris. |
| "It is expected that the vast majority of customers will have their electricity supply restored by late this evening although some customers in outlying areas could still be without electricity tomorrow." | "It is expected that the vast majority of customers will have their electricity supply restored by late this evening although some customers in outlying areas could still be without electricity tomorrow." |
| Scottish Power, which is responsible for supply in the southern part of Scotland, said it had 2,500 homes without power on Friday morning. | Scottish Power, which is responsible for supply in the southern part of Scotland, said it had 2,500 homes without power on Friday morning. |
| It said the figure had been 45,000 at its peak on Thursday. | It said the figure had been 45,000 at its peak on Thursday. |
| On Thursday evening, the severe weather led to part of a causeway road on the Orkney island of Hoy being washed away. | On Thursday evening, the severe weather led to part of a causeway road on the Orkney island of Hoy being washed away. |
| Part of the road surface of the Ayre, which links the communities of Hoy and South Walls, broke up after 22:00 on Thursday and the road remains completely impassable. | Part of the road surface of the Ayre, which links the communities of Hoy and South Walls, broke up after 22:00 on Thursday and the road remains completely impassable. |
| All schools on Orkney remain closed and BBC Radio Orkney went off air after the transmitter was damaged in the storm. | All schools on Orkney remain closed and BBC Radio Orkney went off air after the transmitter was damaged in the storm. |
| In Aberdeen, several families were evacuated from a tenement in the Kincorth area after the gable end of a house collapsed on to a car. | In Aberdeen, several families were evacuated from a tenement in the Kincorth area after the gable end of a house collapsed on to a car. |
| No-one was injured. | No-one was injured. |
| One electricity worker in the Scottish Borders had a lucky escape on Thursday night. | One electricity worker in the Scottish Borders had a lucky escape on Thursday night. |
| He got out of his van to check lines near Walkerburn and came back to find a tree had fallen on it. | He got out of his van to check lines near Walkerburn and came back to find a tree had fallen on it. |
| Grampian Police said there had been several early morning road crashes in which motorists had driven into trees lying on the road. | Grampian Police said there had been several early morning road crashes in which motorists had driven into trees lying on the road. |
| Grampian Fire and Rescue dealt with 75 storm-related call-outs on Thursday night, three times the normal amount. | Grampian Fire and Rescue dealt with 75 storm-related call-outs on Thursday night, three times the normal amount. |
| Many calls were to remove trees and chimney pots and a number of trampolines which had blown away. | Many calls were to remove trees and chimney pots and a number of trampolines which had blown away. |
| They also put out grass fires caused by electrical cables coming down. | They also put out grass fires caused by electrical cables coming down. |
| A senior fire officer told the BBC it was the most severe storm in his 20 years of service. | A senior fire officer told the BBC it was the most severe storm in his 20 years of service. |
| In the Highlands, all schools in Caithness and the north coast of Sutherland will be closed. | In the Highlands, all schools in Caithness and the north coast of Sutherland will be closed. |
| Across Scotland local authorities have been assessing structural damage to schools and council properties. | Across Scotland local authorities have been assessing structural damage to schools and council properties. |
| All of Edinburgh's Christmas attractions in east Princes Street Gardens including the big wheel, and Christmas market, reopened after being closed on Thursday. | All of Edinburgh's Christmas attractions in east Princes Street Gardens including the big wheel, and Christmas market, reopened after being closed on Thursday. |
| Have you been affected by the storms? You can send your comments and weather pictures to the BBC using the form below: | Have you been affected by the storms? You can send your comments and weather pictures to the BBC using the form below: |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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