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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. | 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. |
| Jim and Ann Todd, a retired couple from the village of Balnaguard in Perthshire are among those still without power. | |
| Mr Todd told BBC Scotland: "The power went off at about half past one yesterday afternoon. We have no electric, no heating, the log fire is the only central heating. We have a gas cooker which we can boil water on to make tea." | |
| His wife added: "You have to try and do things when it's daylight. Try and prepare things because we won't be able to do it by candlelight. We are going to have eggs tonight made on the gas stove. | |
| "In the morning we turned all the hobs on the cooker on to get the place warmed up." | |
| The couple said they had had no indication as yet as to when their power would be restored. | |
| 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. | 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. | "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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