Belco has restored 47 mainline circuits of 51 that were knocked out as a result of Hurricane Ernesto.

Ernesto, which weakened to a tropical storm after battering Bermuda, ramped back up to hurricane strength with winds of 90mph as it headed north, the National Hurricane Centre reported yesterday afternoon.

However, the storm is expected to weaken again as early as this morning.

The energy firm provided an update on its Facebook page. It said its crews were now focusing on Summerhaven in Smith’s, the Purvis Park and Ess Hill areas of Paget, where there was a lot of vegetation clearing required.

It said: “The remaining four mainline circuits are still an area of focus. However, this has let us move on to large branch line circuits as well.

“Our crews will have to tend to emergency situations such as pole fires immediately should they arise, which can slow down the restoration process.

“Please note these areas have severe overgrown vegetation that will require our crews to clear first. In situations such as these, we cannot spread our teams across more areas as the manpower is required for vegetation clearing.”

Belco said the order of restoration would begin with its main circuits, followed by branch lines and individual customers.

A spokesman said: “It is paramount that repairs be completed in this order because main lines feed all other lines. An individual customer in the middle or at the end of a branch line cannot receive electricity until all of the repairs between them and the main power supply have been made.”

Meanwhile, the City of Hamilton’s essential services have been restored and regular operations have returned.

A spokeswoman for the CoH said the public bathrooms were open, trash collection had resumed as normal and the ports were functional.

However, the parks remain closed while the clean-up of debris continues. An update will be provided when they are reopened.

The spokeswoman said: “In the days leading up to Hurricane Ernesto, our emergency management teams implemented comprehensive preparations to ensure the continuity of essential services.

“As soon as it was safe to do so, crews mobilised to clear debris and restore systems across the city. Due to this proactive planning and the swift actions of our dedicated staff, Hamilton has weathered the storm with minimal impact.

“We would like to extend our thanks to the public for their co-operation and patience over the weekend.”

Photo gallery