Storm Boelo Forces Rail Closures Across Scotland
Amber weather warning issued as severe winds and heavy rain follow Storm Austen's widespread disruption and power outages.
Carla Rooney
Storm Boelo will close rail lines across western and northern Scotland today.
Network Rail Scotland halts services south and west of Kilwinning from 9pm Saturday. The Oban and Mallaig lines also close around 10pm Saturday. The railway between Wick and Helmsdale is slated for closure on Sunday.
ScotRail advises passengers to check journeys and consider alternative arrangements. Loganair cancelled a number of flights due to weather conditions.
More than 10,000 homes remained without power on Friday evening after Storm Austen. Engineers restored power to over 52,000 properties. National Grid Electricity Distribution works to repair damaged supply.
Amy Webb acknowledged the difficulty of being without power, especially during severe weather. She confirmed engineers work across affected areas to repair damage and restore supply as quickly and safely as possible. She expressed gratitude for customer patience.
If you see a fallen power line, damaged pole or other damage to our equipment, please stay well clear and call 105 straight away.
Webb issued a direct warning: "If you see a fallen power line, damaged pole or other damage to our equipment, please stay well clear and call 105 straight away."
Beyond the power grid, infrastructure sustained significant damage. A section of Brighton’s historic West Pier fell into the sea after being battered by waves.
Cornwall County Council's highways teams dealt with 100 incidents, including fallen trees and flooding. This led to the closure of more than 20 schools in Cornwall.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency maintains 10 flood alerts. Yellow weather warnings for wind and rain cover various parts of the UK, including Scotland, Northern Ireland, and England. Strong winds are forecast to continue into Sunday, with heavy rain expected across larger parts of the UK.
This severe weather contrasts sharply with the drought conditions much of the UK experienced this summer. Britons now receive advice to stockpile tinned food and bottled water as part of a national preparedness programme.