Severe weather: Nearly 70,000 still without power

Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution has restored supplies to 27,500 customers after hurricane winds wreaked havoc across parts of northern and western Scotland.

But poor weather is hampering efforts to restore supplies to a further 69,500 customers.

Rural areas and the Western Isles have borne the full brunt of the storm.

Around 1,000 technical and support staff are on duty and despatched to rural areas throughout the Highlands and islands.

So far customer call centre staff have contacted 1500 customers on the company’s priority service register.

These are the company’s latest figures about those cut off:

Aberdeenshire                                   2,427 customers

Buchan                                               2,250 customers

Rural areas around Dingwall            16,500 customers

Rural areas around Dunblane            1,922 customers

Rural areas around Dunoon               2,228 customers

Elgin/Huntly                                         2,764 customers

Rural areas around Fort William        3,191 customers

Inverness-shire                                   9,200 customers

Rural areas around Oban                   3,946 customers

Orkney                                                889

Rural areas around Perth                   1,513 customers

Skye                                                    6,978 customers

Western Isles                                      8,435 customers

Rural areas around Wick                    7,286 customers