A 60-year-old man has died after being struck by a falling tree in Dumfries and Galloway during Storm Boelo. Police Scotland said the incident occurred on a minor road at Mid Kelton, near Castle Douglas, at around 10.30am on Sunday.
A police spokesperson said: “We were made aware of a 60-year-old man having been struck by a falling tree on a minor road at Mid Kelton near Castle Douglas around 10.30am on Sunday October 25 2026. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. There are no suspicious circumstances and a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal in due course.”
Two women injured in Aberfeldy
In a separate incident, two women were taken to hospital after being struck by another falling tree in Aberfeldy, Perth and Kinross. Police Scotland said on X: “Members of the public are being advised to avoid the Poplar Avenue area of Aberfeldy near to the bridge known locally as the Bouncy Bridge. Around 12.50pm, we were called to a report of two women injured from a fallen tree. They have been taken to hospital for treatment.”
Storm Boelo brought 80mph gusts and travel disruption to much of Scotland over the weekend, following heavy rain from Storm Austen on Friday. The Met Office 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.
Widespread power cuts and travel chaos
The amber wind warning came into force at 9pm on Saturday and remained in place until 9pm on Sunday, with only Orkney under a yellow warning. The storm brought 80mph gusts to Islay, off the West Coast in Argyll and Bute, overnight on Sunday. Tiree saw 82mph gusts at about 4am, and the Met Office recorded up to 62mph gusts in the Glasgow region at the same time.
Around 53,000 homes in Scotland were still without power, according to updates from SP Energy Networks (SPEN) and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN). The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGORR) met on Sunday afternoon to discuss the outages and restoration efforts.
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.”
Recovery efforts across rail, road and ferry networks
Stuart Wilson of Transport Scotland said: “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.”
Network Rail said most train services will return to normal on Monday, though passengers have been urged to check journeys online beforehand. Teams have cleared felled trees and debris from tracks, repaired overhead lines and addressed flooding. Work is expected to continue throughout Sunday evening and overnight.
Network Rail said the following areas may still be affected by Monday morning: Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh; Inverness to Thurso/Wick; Glasgow Queen Street to Fort William/Oban; and Ayr to Stranraer.
Gary Hopkirk, route director at Network Rail Scotland, said: “It’s been a really challenging weekend for Scotland’s railway and particularly for the teams who’ve been out in some very difficult conditions responding to whatever the weather has thrown at us. Our focus throughout has been on keeping people safe and trains moving wherever possible. Now the worst of the weather has passed, our attention is on getting the railway back to normal. We’ll be working as quickly as we can, but we won’t compromise on safety. We know disruption is frustrating and we really appreciate the patience people have shown this weekend while our teams do everything they can to get everyone moving again.”
Mark Ilderton, ScotRail service delivery director, added: “Thanks to the tireless efforts of Scotland’s railway engineers and staff, the vast majority of routes impacted by Storm Boelo will be open on Monday, with services running from the start of service across much of the country. The scale of the operation is significant, with teams working around the clock to clear fallen trees, repair damaged overhead power lines and other railway infrastructure and carry out essential safety inspections. While good progress is being made, there are still a small number of routes where work will continue into Monday morning. We’re working closely with Network Rail to get these reopened as quickly as possible, but our priority remains the safety of our customers and staff, and trains will only resume when it is safe to do so. We’re grateful to customers for their continued patience and understanding and would encourage everyone to check their journey on the ScotRail app or website before travelling for the latest information.”
Roads, ferries and flood warnings remain
Several roads and bridges across Scotland remained closed, according to Traffic Scotland’s website. Of CalMac’s 30 ferry services, 27 have been cancelled, some until Monday, with three others facing disruption or last-minute cancellations. Several rail lines in western and northern Scotland have also closed due to strong wind and heavy rain warnings.
Services south and west of Kilwinning in North Ayrshire stopped from 9pm on Saturday, while the Oban and Mallaig lines closed from about 10pm. On Sunday, the line between Kyle of Lochalsh and Achnashellach in the Highlands closed from the start of service, as did the railway between Wick and Helmsdale. At around 10.30am, services between Glasgow Central and Kilmarnock may be delayed or revised due to a tree blocking the railway between Stewarton and Dunlop.
ScotRail said speed restrictions are expected across much of the network from late Saturday night and throughout Sunday, with potential restrictions on the Far North Line between Inverness and Wick into Monday morning. These restrictions mean trains will operate at lower speeds, resulting in longer journey times, delays and possible cancellations. People with tickets for Saturday or Sunday can travel on any service on Saturday, or use their ticket once routes reopen following the storm, including on Monday.
As of 12pm on Saturday, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) had 11 regional flood alerts and 11 local flood warnings in place. Sepa said on Facebook: “The stormy weather will continue to bring surface water, river and coastal flooding to many parts of Scotland. Through Sunday, coastal flooding impacts are likely in the west and north. There could also be river and surface water impacts in the north due to continued heavy rain. This weather will continue into the start of the week so for up to date information, please check our flooding page and always check before you travel. We continue to urge people to be extra careful, particularly around coastal areas and stay away from flooded promenades and crashing waves.”
Flooding hit parts of Scotland’s west coast overnight. A widely shared video on social media showed flood water running down Largs Main Street, with the business that shared it claiming the street flooded “at its highest level ever”. Police also warned drivers on Arran to avoid the A841 between Lochranza and Pirnmill, which is closed due to a sink hole. Ayrshire police said on social media: “Please do not attempt to use either route and consider whether your journey is essential in the current conditions if you do need to drive.”
