Storm Éowyn: Mother has "absolutely awful" six days without power
A County Antrim mother-of-five, who remains without power for a sixth day following Storm Éowyn, has said it has been "absolutely awful". Nicola Graham, from Ballymena, and her children aged between eight months and 12-years-old have been "surviving with headlamps and candles" since a tree fell on their power supply line on Friday. Homes have been damaged and about 25,000 properties in Northern Ireland remain without power for a sixth day after high winds battered the UK and Ireland last week.Specialist engineers have arrived from across the UK to help restore power, but Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) has warned it could be Monday, 3 February, before all properties are reconnected.
Nicola Graham told BBC's Good Morning Ulster she has had an "absolutely awful" six days without power since Storm Éowyn on Friday. She said she has to boil a saucepan of water over her wood burning stove to feed her eight-month-old her bottle. The rest of the family are relying on take-away meals that cost £40 a night and "using the washing machine at shops", she said. "We are surviving with head lamps and candles", she added, having to recharge lamps and phones at school, work and in the car. "From 17:30 to bedtime, it's awful. We are all sitting in one room trying to keep heat and trying to entertain children."You can't draw in the dark and play with your toys in the dark."Nicola said that because she is on the "priority list" due to her child having additional needs, NIE send her an hourly message saying the repair team is "on their way" and power will be restored by Saturday, 1 February. "I am supposed to have a check in phone call from NIE everyday and I didn't have one yesterday to see how we were coping," she added. "They offered me a community centre in Roe Valley near Limavady, that's it."It's going to be really tough. Our saving grace is that we're out at work."She said she would like "a bit of hope that they are doing something and we are not left in limbo". "The best outcome is that I would see an NIE van beyond my lane and having my wires up to connect the power supply back to my home," she added.
'Goodwill payment'
On Tuesday, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons pledged £1m to support communities and individuals affected by Storm Éowyn."Storm Eowyn has caused devastation, and my primary concern is the safety and well-being of all those affected, particularly children, the elderly and people with vulnerabilities," Mr Lyons said.Lyons said Stormont departments would do everything possible to help support those who have found themselves homeless and for those needing assistance.Earlier in the week, the first minister and deputy first ministers called on NIE to "step up" and provide "goodwill payment" support to those still without power.Asked about compensation payments for people left without power for a prolonged period, Ronan McKeown from NIE said conversations would continue on Tuesday between NIE and Stormont ministers, the Economy Department and Utility Regulator.Nicola Graham told Good Morning Ulster that she thinks NIE should be looking at goodwill payments now. "Every bit of food in the fridge is ruined," she said, "and when the electric comes back on we will have to replace it."
In the Republic of Ireland, more than 142,000 properties remain without supply, according to ESB Networks - down from a peak of about 768,000 on Friday morning.
100 properties without water
The storm has also affected water supplies in some parts of Northern Ireland.NI Water say that 100 properties are still without water. He said his organisation had hoped to get generators to a further 17 properties on Tuesday and that 360 vulnerable customers had water delivered to them.The aftermath of the storm has also affected schools, with some schools in Northern Ireland remaining closed on Wednesday.
Emergency contacts
NIE has said there are 11 Community Assistance Centres and more than 60 drop-in centres open until 19:00 GMT to help those without power.Facilities offered range from showers, food, hot drinks, and work-from-home hubs. NIE Networks reps are available for support.To report faults or emergencies you should contact:Northern Ireland Housing Executive: 03448 920 901Openreach Damages to Network: 08000 23 20 23 (Individual faults must be logged with Communications Providers)Gas networks: 0800 002001NI Water: 03457 44 00 88 or visit niwater.com, externalFlooding Incident Line: 0300 2000 100NIE Networks: 03457 643 643 or visit nienetworks.co.uk
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