Storm Floris, described as the most damaging summer storm in recent memory, has left tens of thousands of households in Scotland without electricity. Engineers from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) worked to restore power to around 22,000 properties in the north and north-east of Scotland on Tuesday morning, after the storm brought high winds across the country.
SSEN reported that it had restored power to 50,000 properties since the storm began, and has organised meal provision in some affected communities. The company stated that while winds have subsided, strong gusts are still forecast, and teams are working with helicopter support to assess the network. Winds of over 100mph were recorded on Monday, with a gust of 134mph on the summit of Cairngorm in the Scottish Highlands.
The storm also caused significant disruption to transport. Network Rail reopened 30 out of 34 routes in Scotland, but ScotRail advised customers to check their journeys. Half of Caledonian MacBrayne ferry routes in western Scotland were affected, with cancellations on services between Oban, Colonsay and Islay. Aberdeen airport was particularly badly hit, with flights cancelled or diverted, including a Ryanair flight from Faro that diverted to Prestwick.
The Scottish Government held an emergency meeting on Monday night to coordinate the response, with ministers and representatives from the Met Office, Police Scotland, and transport agencies. More wet and windy weather is forecast for late Wednesday and Thursday, though no weather warnings are in place for Tuesday.
