LONDON - Two men have been killed by falling trees as Storm Boelo pummeled the UK, with winds of up to 84mph, flooded streets and power cut to 800,000 homes, Sky News reported early on Monday. A 60-year-old man was hit by a falling tree near Castle Douglas in Dumfries, Scotland, and a man in his 20s died in north London after a tree fell on his car, authorities said. Two women were also taken to hospital after they were struck by another falling tree in Aberfeldy, Perth and Kinross.
Source: Sky News via Radio X, Oct 26
Police Scotland said the 60-year-old man died after he was hit by a falling tree in Dumfries and Galloway at about 10.30am on Sunday, on a minor road near Castle Douglas, PA Media reported. There were no suspicious circumstances, the force said. On Sunday evening, the Metropolitan Police confirmed a man in his 20s was killed in north London when a tree fell onto his car, Europe Says reported, summarising the same police statements. In Aberfeldy, police advised the public to avoid the Poplar Avenue area near the bridge known locally as the Bouncy Bridge after two women were struck by a falling tree and taken to hospital.
Source: PA Media via Glasgow Times, Oct 26
Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland and England's north were hit with the worst of the wind and rain on Saturday and Sunday, and the equivalent of a third of a month's rain fell in parts of Scotland over the weekend, Sky News reported. The final amber alert for wind ended at 9pm on Sunday, after Britain had endured two storms in three days. First Minister John Swinney met senior politicians, emergency teams and forecasters on Sunday to discuss the response, and Transport Scotland's Stuart Wilson said significant recovery work is required before the transport network returns to normal, PA Media reported.
Source: Sky News via Radio X, Oct 26
What is solid
- Two men were killed by falling trees during Storm Boelo - a 60-year-old near Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway and a man in his 20s in north London (Sky News; PA Media)
- Two women were taken to hospital after being struck by a falling tree in Aberfeldy, Perth and Kinross (both reports)
- About 90,000 customers were still without power at 7pm on Sunday, according to the Energy Networks Association (Sky News; PA Media put the precise figure at 90,600)
- The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for strong winds from 3am Tuesday to midnight for the far north of England, Scotland and the far northeast of Northern Ireland (Sky News)
What is only claimed
- The total power-cut figure is counted two ways: Sky News reported power cut to 800,000 homes during Boelo itself, while PA Media reported 838,700 British properties lost power across Boelo and its predecessor by hours, Storm Austen, combined - Awaaz Punjab is reporting both counts with attribution
More wind and flood warnings ahead
Early on Monday, the Environment Agency issued 10 warnings that flooding is expected and 65 alerts where it is possible, while the Scottish Environment Protection Agency had 10 flood warnings and 11 flood alerts in place and Natural Resources Wales reported nine flood alerts, Sky News reported. Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said conditions would improve on Monday before more rain and wind arrives on Tuesday from another deepening area of low pressure, though it does not look as deep or come as close as Boelo did. Scottish Social Justice and Housing Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville warned that disruption to travel is likely to continue into Monday and urged people to check official sources before setting out, PA Media reported.