Northern Ireland Electricity engineers were last night struggling to restore power to around 500 homes. Some families have been without power since Christmas Eve. At one stage, nearly 15,000 homes were affected as gales brought down phone and electricity lines. Power was restored in most areas of Cos Derry, Tyrone, Fermanagh and Antrim by Christmas night. However, yesterday morning 2,000 families were still without electricity. Power was restored to most homes later in the day but 500 families in Cos Down and Armagh remained blacked out.
NIE's customer services general manager, Mr Colin Fallon, said: "We are working hard to restore power as soon as possible." Hundreds of the company's staff volunteered to give up their Christmas Day to help.
However, many frustrated householders complained that NIE had responded poorly and that helplines which were set up did not offer adequate information.
The storms destroyed Christmas for thousands of families. It meant that turkeys went uncooked, homes were without heat and television screens were blank. Ms Elaine Scott, from Banbridge, Co Down, who is looking after a week-old baby, said: "It is a nightmare. All our plans have been ruined."
The power cuts were mainly caused by fallen trees. In Co Down, part of the coast road along Strangford Lough was flooded by high tides. Several roads were also blocked by fallen trees.
A weather spokesman said: "There was a fair amount of damage because we haven't had a good storm in a while. The rain meant that the roots of the trees were not held down firmly. That's why so many were blown down."
The worst of the weather hit the North on Christmas Eve. In the 48 hours to 6 a.m. on St Stephen's Day, more than an inch of rain fell over Belfast. The highest rainfall recorded was two inches at Lough Foy.
At a caravan site in Ballyhalbert, Co Down, nine caravans were destroyed by the winds.
Meanwhile a 35-year-old woman is recovering in hospital from hypothermia after being lost on a Co Tyrone mountain overnight during the storms. She disappeared from her home early on Christmas Eve and was found on Christmas morning in a distressed condition, stuck in a bog on the isolated Crockatore Mountain, near Newtownstewart.
RUC officers who rescued her had to wrap her in blankets and carry her across the countryside to an ambulance.