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Power cut in Hythe, Sandgate, Folkestone and Lympne
13:31, 08 April 2020
updated: 16:53, 09 April 2020
More than 400 people went without power this afternoon.
The unplanned outage affected homes in Hythe, Sandgate, Folkestone and Lympne in the CT19 5, CT20 3, CT21 4 and CT21 5 postcode areas.
UK Power Networks said an underground electricity cable faulted on its high voltage network, causing an area wide power cut.
In total, 414 homes were affected.
It comes at a time when many people are stuck at home due to lockdown rules being put in place to stop the spread of Covid-19.
Many people are off work, or working from home, while children are all off school.
Initially, UK Power Networks estimated the power would be back on between 2.30pm and 3.30pm. This then changed to between 3.30pm and 4.40pm.
Information on its website read: "At this point we think the issue is a faulty section of underground cables that initially interrupted power to 1062 properties.
"However, by rerouting electricity in the area, currently 414 customers are still affected.
"Our engineers have arrived on site in the CT21 5 area to investigate the power cut.
"Specialist engineers are also working to divert power remotely, and this can cause your lights to go on and off.
"Please follow the government pandemic guidelines about social distancing when interacting with our staff, and keep a 2 metre distance at all times.
"You may also be concerned at this time about the food in your fridge and freezer.
"Food should keep for up to 6 hours in the fridge, and between 15-24 hours in the freezer if you can avoid opening them."
All power is understood to have now been restored.
