gave the people in charge of the Island's electrical supply a hard time.

Bermuda Electric Light Company crews have been busy over the last few days dealing with power outages, blown transformers and downed utility poles.

Belco's corporate communications manager Robin McPhee said yesterday that problems were sparked across the Island at 10.35 a.m. on Saturday when a switch went out in Somerset.

The loss in power, which was caused by a lightning strike, was felt by residents and businesses along Cambridge Road and Mangrove Bay Road and on parts of West Side Road and Somerset Road.

Power was restored to those areas by 11.17 a.m., said Ms McPhee.

Meanwhile a utility pole had come crashing to the ground on Blue Hole Hill.

This caused traffic to become backed up in both directions and power to go out at premises all along the stretch of road, including at Bailey's Ice Cream Parlour, Bermuda Glass Blowing Ltd. and the Grotto Bay Hotel.

Belco received the call at 10.58 a.m. and rushed to the site outside the Swizzle Inn.

Power was restored almost immediately at the resort, which has an alternative line running to the East End of the Island.

Power restored Other locations in Blue Hole Hill had to wait until 11.46 a.m. when power was restored to the main line.

However to get the power back on, Belco crews were forced to close down a number of switches as underground lines were damaged in the pole's fall. Power was fully restored to all areas by 8.33 p.m.

This incident was not believed to be weather related. It is understood that a truck struck the pole, causing it to fall.

It is also understood that visitors being taken to the Airport by taxi had to walk across the Causeway with their bags while the road was blocked.

Yesterday afternoon, continued Ms McPhee, repair crews were called into action again when power outages were reported across the Island after lightning hit several transformers.

In Smith's Parish, Jennings Land, parts of Flatts Village, Harrington Hundreds and Harrington Sound were left without power for most of the afternoon while crews repaired damaged transformers.

In Devonshire and Pembroke, the areas of Loyal Hill and Happy Valley respectively lost power for short periods of time. Problems were also caused in these locations when falling tree branches hit power lines.

And in Paget, homes in the Highwood area and on Valley Road were left without electricity for some time as well.

As of last night, all areas were expected to be back on line, said Ms McPhee.

Elsewhere, Bermuda Fire Services personnel were called out yesterday to deal with a pair of floodings.

A spokesman reported that at 2.30 p.m. there was a flooding at Zaki's Bakery on Brunswick Street after a water tank inside the building overflowed.

Two fire trucks and five firefighters responded to the scene.

At 2.45 p.m., a similar situation happened at a residence on Happy Valley Road and two appliances and five men were sent to deal with an overflowing water tank.

But the weather was by no means a freak of nature, confirmed a Bermuda Weather Services spokesman last night.

Meteorologist David Forbes reported that it was not unusual to have a large amount of thunderstorm activity in the Atlantic.

However it was unusual for Bermuda -- being so small -- to get caught in the active stream of turbulent weather, admitted Mr. Forbes.

He added that it was also unusual for the active stream to stall over the Island as it had done in this case but noted that it was expected to move on.