More than 50,000 homes in Scotland without power as Storm Boelo batters country

Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in Around 53,000 homes across Scotland are without power after Storm Boelo battered the country. In an update on its website, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said more than 32,500 customers have had their power restored, but 47,000 remain without. SP Energy Networks (SPEN) said earlier on Sunday that around 6,000 homes, mainly in Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway, were also without power, meaning the overall number of homes between both providers who remain cut off is likely to be around 53,000. Amber weather warnings have come into force as the worst of Storm Boelo hits parts of the UK, hours after the first named storm of the season battered the country. The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGORR) met on Sunday afternoon, where ministers heard repairs have slowed due to the storm but will pick up when it is safe to do so. Social Justice and Housing Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “As we experience a third consecutive day of weather warnings with continued strong winds forecast until later today, it is important that people keep up to date on the impact the conditions are having in their local area. “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. “If anyone is isolated or needs help or assistance, they should not hesitate to seek help from the appropriate authorities. “We continue to monitor the situation and work closely with partners to respond quickly and try to mitigate the effects of Storm Boelo as far as possible.” open image in gallery (PA Graphics) ( PA Graphics ) Stuart Wilson, of Transport Scotland, added: “The weekend of storms has brought challenges across the transport network and, in some cases, there will be significant recovery work required before we have the network back to normal. “Our operating companies are working around the clock to restore parts of the trunk road network that have been impacted. The Traffic Scotland website and X account have regular updates on trunk road conditions, so I’d continue to urge drivers to plan their journey before setting off, particularly ahead of the return to work on Monday morning. “The conditions have also impacted rail, ferry and air networks, so it’s vital travellers check with operators to see if their services have been affected.” Storm Boelo brought 80mph gusts and travel disruption to much of Scotland this weekend, shortly after Storm Austen delivered heavy rain to many areas on Friday. The Met Office has warned of potential injuries and danger to life from flying debris as well as a chance of damage to buildings, power cuts and travel disruption. open image in gallery A police road closure on the A78 near Skelmorlie, North Ayrshire, after Storm Boelo passed through the area (Jane Barlow/PA) ( PA Wire ) The amber wind warning came into force at 9pm on Saturday and will remain in place until 9pm on Sunday, with only Orkney remaining under a yellow warning. Tiree saw 82mph gusts at about 4am and in the Glasgow region the Met Office recorded up to 62mph wind gusts at the same time. Power outages have been reported across Highlands, Argyll, Western Isles, Orkney, parts of Perth and Kinross, and Stirling. Areas of Aberdeenshire, near Inverurie and Banchory, and large parts of the Isle of Mull, Skye, Harris and Lewis have also been affected by the power cuts. open image in gallery Flood water on the A8 in Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, after Storm Boelo passed through the area (Jane Barlow/PA) ( PA Wire ) As Storm Boelo continues to sweep across the north of Scotland, one power company said it is also preparing for an impact to network infrastructure in Tayside, the north-east and Aberdeenshire later on Sunday. In a social media post on Sunday, SSEN said it is “working hard to respond to damage caused by Storm Boelo”. “Severe weather across our network will continue today and further disruption remains possible,” SSEN said. Customers experiencing a power outage can report it by calling the free, national emergency helpline 105.