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Thousands still without power as Storm Bert hits the country
The worst impacted areas include Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Cavan, Monaghan, Kerry and Cork.
LAST UPDATE | 23 Nov 2024
⚠️Storm Bert⬇️
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) November 23, 2024
Very wet & windy this morning with widespread rain & flooding in places as warnings still in place🌧️🌬️
Showery rain will move in from the W this afternoon, heavy at times with hail & thunder possible☔️
Very strong & gusty southerly winds will ease for a time pic.twitter.com/aCIWHlhIDZ
POWER OUTAGES CONTINUE across the country as a number of counties continue to struggle with severe flooding as Storm Bert passes over Ireland.
As of 7pm this evening, 11,000 premises are without power.
The worst impacted areas include Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Cavan, Monaghan, Kerry and Cork.
Earlier, 60,000 homes and businesses were without power. ESB crews are working to restore power to the remaining affected premises.
The latest updates, including estimated restoration times, are available on PowerCheck.ie. A spokesperson for the ESB said that while crews will work late into the evening to try and restore power to as many homes and businesses as possible, it is anticipated that a number of customers will remain without power overnight.
The ESB said that efforts are being made in areas of Connemara and West Mayo where some customers remain without supply due to extensive damage from the heavy snow and ice in the early hours of Thursday morning.
“With Met Éireann forecasting Storm Bert to dominate our weather through the weekend, further power outages may occur tonight and through Sunday,” the spokesperson said.
“ESB Networks teams are closely monitoring the storm impact on power supplies and all available resources remain available to respond when and where it’s safe to do so.”
If anyone comes across fallen electricity wires, do not touch them – EBS has warned they are “live and extremely dangerous”. Instead, people have been asked to report the damaged wires by calling 1800 372 999.
A number of weather warnings have been issued and further power outages are expected over the weekend.
Flooding
Severe flooding has occurred in a number of counties, including Cork, Galway, Donegal and Kerry.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has advised motorists to take extra care and avoid unnecessary travel.
A number of roads are closed and people should check with their relevant local authority for the latest updates.
#StormBert Updates
— Mayo County Council (@MayoCoCo) November 23, 2024
The R330 Ballinrobe to Westport Road closed due to flooding at Railway Bridge pic.twitter.com/V19fpjUi3P
Cork County Council is appealing to drivers to move their cars from both the Council Car Park and Chemist Warehouse (formerly Lidl) Car Park at Park Road, Mallow due to rising water levels in River Blackwater.
— Cork County Council (@Corkcoco) November 23, 2024
The N72 Park Road, Mallow will be closed to traffic from 12:00 noon.… pic.twitter.com/r17x6OW4Ge
Killybegs in county Donegal is one of the areas worst affected by flooding.
Extreme flooding on Bridge Street in Killybegs,Donegal this morning.
— Donegal Weather Channel (@DonegalWeatherC) November 23, 2024
View weather warnings here 👉 https://t.co/bhv3YAjFoi#stormbert #flooding #Donegal #killybegs pic.twitter.com/SXkrogApA0
Killybegs in Donegal badly flooded again this morning on Bridge Street. Photo by Eileens Unisex Hairsalon. Sadly more flooding images are likely to emerge this morning. We need flood forecasting information made public!
— Carlow Weather (@carlowweather.bsky.social) November 23, 2024 at 8:45 AM
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Here's another pic of the same street, Fire brigade trying to clear it. Can't even tell how much damage done yet, but awful for the businesses there. @thomaspringle.bsky.social office on the left beside the optician. My heart goes out to everyone dealing with flooding today. #speirgorm #StormBert
— Anna Pringle (@annapr.bsky.social) November 23, 2024 at 8:54 AM
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Weather warnings
A Status Yellow wind warning for Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Wicklow kicked in at 5pm today and will remain in place until 2am tomorrow.
Fallen trees, debris and difficult travelling conditions are expected.
Met Éireann has advised that more weather warnings could be issued, or current ones upgraded, in the coming hours.
Cork County Council has advised road users that the conditions remain poor after Status Red rainfall hit the county overnight. Storm Bert continues to have an effect with localised flooding, debris on roads and fallen trees across the county, it said.
Flooding on R594 near Skibbereen Cork this morning also. pic.twitter.com/6xrxBBv9ag
— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) November 23, 2024
Tomorrow’s warnings
A Status Yellow wind warning for Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo will be in place from 8am tomorrow until 2am on Monday.
A Status Yellow wind warning for Donegal will be in effect from 8am tomorrow until 8am on Monday.
A Status Yellow wind warning for Clare, Kerry, Galway will be in place from 8am to 7pm tomorrow.
Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry will be affected by a Status Yellow wind warning from 11am until 6pm tomorrow.
Flooding this morning in Collooney, Sligo on the old Galway Road
— Donegal Weather Channel (@DonegalWeatherC) November 23, 2024
Thanks to Elizabeth Costello Holmes for sending on the video and report.https://t.co/bhv3YAjFoi#stormbert pic.twitter.com/DkKiGPD61E
Bus Éireann has cancelled some services in western parts of the country, while advising all travellers to plan journeys in advance and expect delays.
A number of train services are also experiencing delays. The latest updates can be read here.
Transport for Ireland has advised people to check the status of specific transport operators before setting off.
“Please check with your transport operator before travelling as there may be delays or curtailments due to adverse weather conditions. Some services will be travelling at reduced speeds in the interests of safety,” TFI said in a statement.
The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) said it will continue to liaise with Met Éireann and monitor the situation, while local authority Severe Weather Assessment Teams will monitor conditions locally and use emergency response teams as required.
‘Critical concerns’
Met Éireann meteorologist Andrew Doran-Sherlock said the organisation is closely monitoring the situation and will upgrade warnings or issue new alerts as needed.
He said there is a strong likelihood of Status Orange wind warnings in western and northwestern counties.
The impacts from Storm Bert will continue over the weekend and potentially through early next week as well.
Dr Jennifer Keenahan, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at University College Dublin, warned that the storm’s timing is concerning because it will bring heavy rainfall onto already saturated ground.
She added that from a structural engineering perspective, Storm Bert presents several “critical concerns for our bridge infrastructure” and that the combination of heavy rainfall and strong winds creates multiple challenges.
“The saturated ground conditions significantly increase the risk of scour around bridge foundations, where fast-moving water can erode the supporting soil beneath bridge piers,” Keenaghan said.
“This is particularly worrisome when coupled with the intense rainfall predicted for this evening.
“The storm surge and wave action will create both lateral and vertical forces on bridge structures and these forces can be especially problematic as they can generate upward pressures on bridge decks.”
With reporting by Diarmuid Pepper
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