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UK snow: Electricity still out at thousands of homes UK snow: Electricity still out at thousands of homes
(about 1 hour later)
Thousands of homes are still without power and many roads remain impassable after severe weather affected much of the UK over the weekend.Thousands of homes are still without power and many roads remain impassable after severe weather affected much of the UK over the weekend.
In Scotland several thousand homes were affected after snow and strong winds damaged power cables.In Scotland several thousand homes were affected after snow and strong winds damaged power cables.
In Northern Ireland some households in remote areas have been warned it could be several days before their supplies are reconnected.In Northern Ireland some households in remote areas have been warned it could be several days before their supplies are reconnected.
The Met Office issued a warning for ice as temperatures remain low. The Met Office has issued a warning for ongoing severe weather.
It warned of lying snow melting and then refreezing overnight into Monday - leading to icy patches across much of the UK. It has issued an extension to its previous amber alert for "severe weather action". Experts say there is a 100% probability of severe cold weather and icy conditions between 08:00 GMT on Monday and 08:00 GMT on Friday in parts of England.
Also strong to gale-force winds will affect some roads, especially over high ground, where snow drifts have accumulated. "Bitterly cold easterly winds will persist this week, bringing snow showers to north-east England and light snow flurries across other areas of England. With lying snow and partial snow melt during the daytimes, icy conditions are likely during the nights," the Met Office says.
'Like an ice rink' Parts of south-west Scotland, Kintyre and the Isle of Arran have been without power for four days. Electricity engineers are still working to reconnect about 3,500 homes on Kintyre and 1,500 on Arran. They have been hampered by snow-drifts and heavy winds over the weekend.
Parts of south west Scotland and the isles of Arran and Kintyre were particularly badly hit by power cuts on Friday. Electricity engineers are still working to reconnect about 3,500 homes on Kintyre and 1,500 on Arran. Fraser Hendry, a manager at the Kilnoch Hotel in Blackwaterfoot, on the isle of Arran, said an emergency centre for local people had been set up in the hotel.
Fraser Henry, a manager at the Kilnoch Hotel in Blackwaterfoot, on the isle of Arran, said an emergency centre for local people had been set up in the hotel.
"The main problem we have is the amount of snow that fell. The roads are dreadful, the roads that have been cleared, the snow has melted and is now just freezing over and the whole place is like an ice rink."The main problem we have is the amount of snow that fell. The roads are dreadful, the roads that have been cleared, the snow has melted and is now just freezing over and the whole place is like an ice rink.
"Our hotel has had an old generator for 60 years. We're trying to keep that going at the moment so there is a warm place for the medics, the mountain rescue and the local fire brigade."Our hotel has had an old generator for 60 years. We're trying to keep that going at the moment so there is a warm place for the medics, the mountain rescue and the local fire brigade.
"We've been told it could be Friday before we get the supply back.""We've been told it could be Friday before we get the supply back."
Neil Young, a firefighter on Arran, said about 100 people a day had been taking advantage of his fire station's offer of hot food and drink, and shower facilities. Kenneth Young, who is on Arran, told the BBC the situation was pretty bad, especially on the south side of the island.
About 1,500 properties in Dumfries and Galloway are also waiting to be reconnected following a weekend of snow, blizzards and heavy winds. "There's been drift of up to 10ft. I know the headmistress of the local primary school on the south side and she showed me some pictures," he said. "Obviously the school is closed but she wanted to check the building itself and they look like scenes from the Arctic Circle."
Ross Easton, from Scottish and Southern Energy, said extra staff had been called in to deal with the problems.
"This really has been a mammoth effort from us, we've got teams drafted in from the South of England and from Scotland. Typically on Arran we've got two members of staff. Right now we've got 150," he said.
In other developments:
In Derbyshire's Peak District, Laura Boddy said she had been cut off for the last two days.In Derbyshire's Peak District, Laura Boddy said she had been cut off for the last two days.
"We certainly started running out of milk earlier on, and bread, but we managed to get out to a farm by walking over and through the drifts," she said."We certainly started running out of milk earlier on, and bread, but we managed to get out to a farm by walking over and through the drifts," she said.
"In fact at times we had to walk on top of walls because that was the only clear space we could get to. It's still very snowy, thankfully the wind has now died down a bit but there have been drifts that are seven or eight feet high.""In fact at times we had to walk on top of walls because that was the only clear space we could get to. It's still very snowy, thankfully the wind has now died down a bit but there have been drifts that are seven or eight feet high."
Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) said about 950 homes in remote areas were still without electricity. About 140,000 properties have been affected by the severe weather in total.
NIE's Julia Carson said: "We've been using a helicopter to patrol remote circuits, and we've also commissioned an additional helicopter today, and they're going to actually drop emergency crews, engineers and some materials into these areas."
Specialist rescue teams were deployed to help vulnerable people or those isolated in rural areas in Northern Ireland. Emergency oxygen supplies had to be airlifted to an elderly man who was snowed in without electricity.
Hundreds of people in Cumbria are also still without power and several main roads remain closed.
The weekend saw roads closed, sporting fixtures cancelled, and airports disrupted.
BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood said there would be snow showers, mainly across north-eastern parts of the UK on Monday, and most areas would be bitterly cold.
She said the easterly, gusty Arctic wind would send temperatures down to -4C in Newcastle and -2C in London.
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