Storm Amy, the first named storm of the season, has left Scotland reeling with widespread damage and significant disruption. As the clean-up continues, thousands of homes remain without power, and travel services are still struggling to resume normal operations. With gusts of up to 96 mph, the storm has broken records and caused major setbacks for both residents and services.
The storm, which struck Scotland with fierce intensity, has affected both daily life and infrastructure. While recovery operations are ongoing, the storm’s full impact is still being assessed. The most pressing concerns are the power outages and disruption to transport networks, which continue to affect thousands of people.
Power Outages Persist as Teams Race Against Time
According to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), nearly 67,000 homes had their power restored by Saturday, but 21,000 homes were still left in the dark. The storm‘s aftermath, coupled with ongoing adverse weather conditions, has made restoration efforts particularly challenging. High winds and downed trees have damaged power lines, requiring extra engineers and tree-cutting teams to access affected areas.
Nik Wheeler, SSEN’s head of customer operations, assured residents that every available resource is being deployed to restore power. “Every resource at our disposal is being directed at the reconnection operation, and our efforts to ensure people are kept well informed and looked after while these essential repairs are carried out.” he said. Meanwhile, welfare operations were also initiated to support those affected, with hot food provided at multiple locations.
Travel Chaos Continues as Rail and Air Services Struggle to Recover
The storm’s impact on transport infrastructure has been equally severe, with more than 280 incidents reported by Network Rail. Fallen trees, debris, and damaged overhead lines have caused widespread disruption to train services across Scotland. Key lines, including the West Highland Line and the Far North Inverness to Kyle routes, remain closed due to ongoing repairs.
ScotRail confirmed that many services resumed on Sunday, but major routes, particularly in the north, continued to face closures or delays. Some safety checks were also underway on routes like Glasgow Queen Street to Alloa and Inverness to Elgin. “The safety of our customers and staff is always the priority during these extreme weather events.” said ScotRail in a statement.
Meanwhile, disruptions to ferry services and flight cancellations compounded the difficulties for travellers, and some road bridges had restrictions on high-sided vehicles. As recovery efforts continue, Scotland remains under a yellow weather warning for strong winds, with gusts of up to 70 mph still expected across northern areas.
