The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Scotland battered by Storm Ali
Trees down, roads closed and buildings damaged in Aberdeen
Storm Ali battered a building owned by a Scottish Government body set up to monitor and protect the environment. Greyhope Road in Torry was shut off to motorists for several hours yesterday afternoon after severe gusts caused damage to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) Inverdee House building.
Drivers were diverted along the nearby Baxter Street.
A SEPA spokesman said: “We are assessing the impacts and working with other agencies on the ground.
“The safety and well-being of our people is our No 1 concern.”
The storm wreaked havoc across much of the country yesterday afternoon with winds in excess of 70mph resulting in children being sent home from school, trains cancelled and roads closed.
St Peter’s School, in Aberdeen, was partially evacuated after “substantial” branches fell from a tree close to a building on the site at about 1pm.
Children were moved to the main school hall and the head teacher called parents and asked them to collect pupils earlier to take them home.
Fallen trees on major roads also caused travel problems for motorists.
Drivers were forced to take alternative routes after closures in Rothes, Alford, Drumoak and Old Rayne due to trees blocking the road.
At 2.30pm yesterday 74mph winds were recorded at Leuchars and Inverbervie, and speeds of 70mph across Aberdeen.
Police also advised that Crown Street in the city was closed due to scaffolding collapsing on a building.
And in Peterhead a sign outside the town’s Buchan Gateway retail park was almost completely destroyed by the wind.
Power was also down in residential areas across the north-east with in excess of 1,000 customers affected in more than 100 postcode areas. Rail travel was also disrupted as the high winds cancelled dozens of train journeys up and down the country.
One 94-year-old passenger who had been travelling from York to Aberdeen was offered a taxi to the Granite City because the train she was due to travel on was unable to travel north of Newcastle due to the line being blocked.
Other passengers were forced to spend the night at hotels and apply for compensation from rail firms.
“Thesafetyand well-being of our people is our No 1 concern”