Residents across parts of North and Mid Holderness have been left without electricity after Storm Boelo battered the region.
Northern Powergrid said in an update at 6.30pm on Sunday, October 25, that severe weather had caused significant damage to its network, affecting more than 127,000 customers across the North.
Power had been restored to nearly 102,000 customers during the day, but around 25,000 remain without electricity.
The company warned that about 13,000 customers across its network were expected to remain without power overnight.
Villages affected locally include Skipsea and Barmston, where residents have spoken of the disruption and uncertainty surrounding restoration times.
In Skipsea, a Northern Powergrid customer support vehicle and hot food van was stationed in the village, providing emergency food and water supplies to affected residents.
Tom, who was working alongside colleague Charlie in the Duo Catering van, explained that the company was part of an emergency call-out network operated by the Nationwide Caterers Association (NCASS).
He said: “We deal with them, and then they have a contract with Northern Powergrid, and we’re part of the emergency team.
“We mainly do music festivals, but then we’ve got a deal with NCASS where we do emergency call-outs.”
Tom said they had received their call at around 10.45am and arrived in Skipsea at about midday.
He added that the team could be called out to help communities across the region, saying: “We go anywhere in the north, really.”
Skipsea Village Hall also opened its doors to the community to offer additional support.
Among those welcoming the response was Sara Worley, from Rotherham, who is staying in a caravan nearby with her 87-year-old mother.
She said she had received a text message from Northern Powergrid alerting her to the situation and praised the assistance being offered.
She said: “It’s absolutely incredible that they’ve provided a service.
“And what’s really nice is the community is coming together to help each other.”
She said it had been particularly heartening to see people helping neighbours they had never previously met.
However, other residents raised concerns about those unable to travel to the support vehicle and the lack of information about when electricity would be restored.
Marie from Barmston said: “This is the worst year for power outages I’ve ever had in 22 years of living here.”
Although she welcomed the emergency support, she questioned how elderly people without transport were expected to reach it.
She said she and others had been checking on neighbours to make sure they were all right, but felt support vehicles should visit individual villages to reach those unable to travel.
Marie also expressed frustration at the uncertainty surrounding restoration times.
She said: “What I want to know is how long it’s going to be out for. There’s no information.
“That’s fine, but just let us know. We haven’t got an ETA at the moment. We’ve had nothing.”
In its evening update, Northern Powergrid acknowledged the frustration facing customers and said strong winds were continuing to hamper engineers’ efforts to assess the damage and carry out repairs safely.
It said: “We recognise that this is not welcome news for those customers going into tomorrow without power. We understand that frustration and we will do all that we can to reconnect all remaining customers tomorrow.”
Teams are continuing to work through the night, restoring supplies remotely where possible and carrying out repairs on the ground when conditions allow.
Northern Powergrid has also mobilised additional engineers, specialist teams and customer support vehicles to the worst-affected areas.
The company clarified that customers whose estimated restoration time is shown as 11pm on Sunday, October 25, or earlier should expect their supply to return tonight or during the early hours of Monday.
However, those whose restoration estimate is 11pm on Monday, October 26, will not have electricity restored on Sunday.
More accurate estimates are expected to be provided during Monday as engineers complete further assessments.
Customers can check the latest information and estimated restoration times at www.northernpowergrid.com/power-cuts-map.
Anyone needing additional assistance through the company’s Priority Services Membership can call 0800 169 2996.
Customers should call 105 to report damaged electrical equipment or if they are in danger or medically dependent on electricity. Anyone experiencing a medical emergency should call 999.
Northern Powergrid is also urging residents to keep electrical appliances switched off at the socket, as power could be restored without warning, and to check on vulnerable neighbours and relatives where it is safe to do so.
