Belco was kept busy yesterday morning after two areas of the Island were left powerless because of construction work and lightning.

Southside businesses were left in the dark when workers accidentally cut the coating around an underground cable and rainwater seeped in and tripped a circuit.

Power was cut off to the buildings between Clearwater Middle School and TeleBermuda International (TBI), but the long distance company was unaffected.

A TBI spokesperson said: "We are fully prepared for any kind of weather event. Specifically, in the event of a power outage, TBI is completely prepared with battery support and back up diesel generators that can provide us with sufficient power for six or more days.'' However buses were called to Clearwater Middle School as students were sent home early. The school was deemed unhealthy for students while the power was out.

Southside has a power distribution station that is independent from the rest of Belco and the Bermuda Land Development Company (BLDC) had to get help with the repairs. Belco spokesperson Robin Sidders said: "We were called in to repair an underground cable in their station.

"Power was restored at 11.50 a.m. by back-feeding power from another circuit.'' She added that yesterday's lightning storm was not a factor in the loss of power but the rain was.

BLDC facility manager Rudy Daniels said many of the homes in the area appeared unaffected by the power cut, with mostly businesses being left without power.

He said: "About one quarter of the property was without power.

"Someone reported seeing a flash come from a manhole at the same time as the lightning strike, but we are looking into this.'' Meanwhile repairs are underway to replace the damaged section of underground cable.

Lightning left some Smith's residents without power for an hour after a bolt struck a transformer at around 9 a.m.

The blackout was contained to Town Hill Road and affected about 20 homes.

Power was returned by 10 a.m.