Clean Up Under Way as Storm Boelo Leaves Thousands Without Power

A major clean up operation is under way across parts of the United Kingdom after Storm Boelo brought powerful winds, flooding and widespread disruption, leaving tens of thousands of properties without electricity.

Around 90,000 properties were still without power on Monday, October 26, as electricity engineers worked to repair damaged infrastructure and reconnect affected homes and businesses. The storm battered Scotland and northern England over the weekend, with some areas experiencing wind gusts of up to 85mph.

Two men died after trees fell during the severe weather. A man in his 20s was killed in north London when a tree fell on the car he was driving, while a 60 year old man died after being struck by a falling tree in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Two women were also taken to hospital after another tree fell in Aberfeldy.

The storm caused significant damage to electricity networks, roads and railway lines. Transport services faced widespread disruption, with some train routes closed or operating under speed restrictions. Several flights were cancelled or diverted, while flooding and fallen trees affected road travel in parts of Scotland and northern England.

Electricity network operators have deployed additional engineers and repair teams to restore supplies. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks said on Sunday evening that more than 54,000 customers had regained electricity, but warned that some affected homes might remain without power until Tuesday because of the scale of the damage and difficult working conditions.

The disruption has also affected businesses. A manufacturing company in Cumbria reported that its factory and shop would remain without electricity until Tuesday evening, forcing it to turn away employees and customers and disrupting production and distribution.

Authorities have warned that further unsettled weather is expected. The Met Office has issued another yellow wind warning covering parts of Scotland, northern England and the far north east of Northern Ireland for Tuesday, with more strong winds and heavy rain forecast. Flood warnings and alerts also remain in place in several areas.  Emergency crews and utility workers continue to assess the damage and restore essential services, while residents have been urged to follow official safety advice as recovery efforts continue.