Power set to be restored after Storm Arwen causes chaos across Scotland
Up to 80,000 homes were affected across the country last night
Power is set to be restored to thousands of homes across Scotland by 8pm tonight.
Up to 80,000 homes were affected as Storm Arwen battered the north and east coast, with winds of almost 80 miles per hour last night.
SP Energy Networks confirmed 24,000 customers are currently affected, mainly in Dumfries, Fife, and Lothian and Borders.
Many parts of Scotland have suffered storm damage from fallen trees and travel disruption as a result of the high winds.
Network Rail Scotland chaired a conference call earlier today to discuss the ongoing disruption to its rail services.
The railway company's Scottish branch called Storm Arwen "one of the most challenging" situations that it has faced in "recent memory".
In a statement posted on Twitter, Network Rail Scotland said: "We’re working methodically to inspect all of our routes. Safety is our number one priority and we will not send trains out unless it’s safe to do so.
"Our teams have worked through the night in challenging conditions to keep passenger and freight trains moving where we can.
A helicopter is currently helping the company to inspect and monitor routes across the country and is feeding back information to the control team on where engineers may be required.
The extreme weather also caused travel disruption and dozens of passengers were stranded on a train for almost 17 hours.
Meanwhile, CalMac Ferries confirmed multiple services had to be cancelled due to the extreme wind causing dangerous sailing conditions at sea.
An EasyJet flight also had to return to Belfast yesterday evening after failing to land in Glasgow.
The Met Office issued a rare red weather alert for wind from Friday at 3pm until 2am on Saturday, warning some parts of the country could see gusts reaching 80mph to 90mph.
The red warning stretched along the east coast from Middlesbrough to beyond Aberdeen and is the first maximum alert to be issued since Storm Dennis in February 2020.
Yellow warnings for wind were also issued in Ireland, where a man died after a tree fell on his car in Antrim on Friday.
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