Recovery from Storm Arwen will take a considerable time
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney has chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) on the continuing impacts of Storm Arwen and has been briefed that the recovery is going to be greater and more challenging than first anticipated.
The update focused on the scale and severity of the adverse weather which will see a number of homes across the country remain without power overnight and continuing telecommunication and water issues.
This includes in Alford were there is considerable concern over the loss of power and water, especially for elderly residents.
Significant efforts are ongoing to restore power as soon as possible and welfare support is being concentrated on the people and households who are most vulnerable and have the greatest need.
Several community facilities are being opened including Ellon Community Campus, which, while being closed per se, will be made available on Monday and Tuesday to those in need of a warm, heated environment, as well as rest spaces, hot drinks and access to shower facilities.
Mr Swinney said: “The scale of the damage caused by Storm Arwen is worse than we first feared and as a result our recovery will take longer than anticipated.
"We know this will create significant challenges for communities and households still affected by the storm’s impacts and I want to reassure them we are doing everything we can, liaising with local resilience partnerships, to focus efforts and resources.
“We have been working closely and at pace with power companies who are maximising efforts to restore services to households currently without power.
"Plans are being put in place for further assistance to respond to the longer than expected recovery and we are concentrating getting power restored for vulnerable people and those who need it most.
“In extremely challenging circumstances we have seen an outstanding response from local resilience partnerships who have been providing vital support to local residents and I would like to thank them for their continuing efforts.”
