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Vol. 3 · No. 299 Every side. Side by side. Monday, October 26, 2026
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Storm Boelo kills two in UK as power cuts linger across northern Europe

BBC and Sky News said two men died after trees fell in Scotland and north London on Sunday as Storm Boelo, following Storm Austen, left tens of thousands without power.

By AI reporterPRESSElena Marsh · WhatsNewPaper Desk

Two men died on Sunday after falling trees as Storm Boelo crossed the United Kingdom, the second named storm in three days, BBC and Sky News reported1,2.

Police Scotland said a 60-year-old man was killed near Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway1,2. Hours later, the Metropolitan Police said a man in his 20s died after a tree struck a moving car on Dollis Road in Finchley, north London, about 12:40 GMT1,2. Two women were taken to hospital after another fallen tree in Aberfeldy, Perth and Kinross1,2.

Outage figures differed by source and timestamp. The Energy Networks Association told the BBC that more than 90,000 properties were without power as of 19:00 GMT Sunday and that 838,700 had faced cuts during Storm Austen on Friday and Boelo combined1. Sky News said about 90,000 customers were still without supply by 7 p.m. Sunday, after earlier reports of about 800,000 homes affected2. Al Jazeera, carrying AFP and AP, said more than 82,000 homes in the United Kingdom, nearly 60,000 in France and at least 10,000 in Germany had no electricity on Sunday3.

The Met Office recorded gusts of 85 mph at Machrihanish in Argyll and Bute and 84 mph at Stornoway and Capel Curig1. An amber wind warning for Scotland and parts of northern England, and a yellow warning for other northern and Midlands areas, expired at 21:00 Sunday1. The Irish Times, in an earlier Sunday report, said Met Eireann orange warnings for western counties had expired and that ESB Networks was assessing damage4.

Flooding and travel disruption were widespread. BBC said four flood warnings were in place for parts of England and Wales and 17 in Scotland, with 130 mm of rain at Cluanie Inn in the Highlands1. Rail, road, ferry and some airport services were disrupted; Scottish government ministers met on the response1.

Al Jazeera's wire roundup, which did not report the London death, described Austen's effects on the Continent, including Enedis figures of 288,000 French homes without power at peak Saturday and injuries in France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands3.

The Scottish government said adverse weather could return in coming days1. Independent confirmation of later casualty totals and restored-power counts was not in these reports.

Sources

  1. BBCTwo men killed by falling trees as Storm Boelo leaves 90,000 properties without power
  2. Sky News UKTwo men killed by falling trees - as Storm Boelo recovery under way
  3. Al JazeeraTwo storms slam northern Europe, cut power to 150,000 homes
  4. The Irish TimesThousands of homes without power after strong winds brought by Storm Boelo

Read the original at BBC ↗

How it’s being reported

4 sources

First reported by The Irish TimesThe Irish Times

Where they agree

  • A 60-year-old man died after a falling tree near Castle Douglas on Sunday.
  • Two women were injured by a fallen tree in Aberfeldy.
  • Storm Boelo followed Storm Austen and brought 80-plus mph gusts to western Scotland.
  • Met Office amber wind warnings expired Sunday evening.

Where they differ

How many UK properties remained without power Sunday

Number of storm-related deaths in the UK

Side by side

Each outlet's article broken down by our newsroom, in our own words. To read what they wrote, use the button under each one.

BBC

Two men killed by falling trees as Storm Boelo leaves 90,000 properties without power

UK deaths, Met Office warnings and flooding in Scotland

Reports two deaths from falling trees and more than 90,000 UK properties without power as of 19:00 GMT Sunday. BBC News

Leaves out Power cuts and injuries on the European continent

UK deaths, Met Office warnings and flooding in Scotland

What it reports

  • A man in his 20s died after a tree hit a moving car on Dollis Road in Finchley, north London, about 12:40 GMT Sunday.
  • A 60-year-old man died after being struck by a falling tree near Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway.
  • Gusts reached 85 mph at Machrihanish; amber and yellow wind warnings expired at 21:00 Sunday.
  • Two women were taken to hospital after a fallen tree in Aberfeldy; Scottish ministers met on the storm's impact.

Leaves out Power cuts and injuries on the European continent

Read the original at BBC Read the full article at BBC
Sky News UKSky News UK

Two men killed by falling trees - as Storm Boelo recovery under way

Recovery, remaining outages and a new yellow wind warning

Puts Sunday deaths in a recovery frame, citing about 90,000 still without power by 7 p.m. and more wind due Tuesday.

Leaves out The higher mid-afternoon ENA outage figure BBC cited

Recovery, remaining outages and a new yellow wind warning

What it reports

  • The last amber wind alert ended at 9 p.m. Sunday.
  • Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said Monday would improve before more rain and wind Tuesday.
  • A yellow warning for strong winds was set from 3 a.m. Tuesday to midnight for far northern England, Scotland and far northeast Northern Ireland.
  • Transport Scotland said significant rail recovery work was needed; buildings in Ayr and a caravan park in Ballantrae were evacuated.

Leaves out The higher mid-afternoon ENA outage figure BBC cited

Read the original at Sky News UK Read the full article at Sky News UK
Al JazeeraAl Jazeera

Two storms slam northern Europe, cut power to 150,000 homes

Continent-wide outages from Boelo and Austen

Carries AFP and AP reports of northern-Europe outages and one UK death in Scotland.

Leaves out The second UK death in north London

Continent-wide outages from Boelo and Austen

What it reports

  • A falling tree killed a 60-year-old man in southwestern Scotland; two women were injured in central Scotland, PA reported.
  • More than 82,000 UK homes, nearly 60,000 in France and at least 10,000 in Germany had no electricity on Sunday.
  • Enedis said 288,000 French homes had no power at Austen's Saturday peak; about 59,000 remained without power at midday Sunday.
  • German police said two people were seriously hurt by blown scaffolding in Nastatten; falling trees injured four in Brussels.
  • The report did not mention the north London death reported by BBC and Sky News.

Leaves out The second UK death in north London

Read the original at Al Jazeera Read the full article at Al Jazeera
The Irish TimesThe Irish Times

Thousands of homes without power after strong winds brought by Storm Boelo

Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland warnings and ESB outages

Earlier Ireland-focused report on overnight outages and Met Eireann warnings, without the Sunday UK deaths.

Leaves out Fatalities in Scotland and London

Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland warnings and ESB outages

What it reports

  • Thousands of Irish properties lost power overnight as Boelo brought southwest winds and coastal gales.
  • Donegal's Status Orange warning expired at 9 a.m. Sunday, replaced by Status Yellow until 3 p.m.
  • ESB Networks said it was assessing network damage in the west and northwest.
  • Dublin Airport saw cancellations Saturday; some Dublin-Holyhead ferries did not sail.
  • PSNI said a number of Northern Ireland roads were closed due to fallen trees and debris.

Leaves out Fatalities in Scotland and London

Read the original at The Irish Times Read the full article at The Irish Times