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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

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.

Killybegs in county Donegal is one of the areas worst affected by flooding.

Weather warnings 

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.

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.

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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    Mute Tom Rooney
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    Sep 14th 2012, 2:49 PM

    Far too many ‘maybe’s’ and ‘possible’ talk here, we’ve heard it all before.
    We need representatives with a bit of backbone and genuine concern for Ireland and its people, until we have this we will be continually screwed by the banking and business elites across Europe.

    59
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    Mute Damien Aulsberry
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    Sep 14th 2012, 3:06 PM

    Agree wholeheartedly…whats this COULD be given a better deal and some of the bailout money would be shaved off??

    33
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    Mute Gagsy 99
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    Sep 14th 2012, 3:17 PM

    Definitely – we should start making ultimatums (ultimata?) that if we don’t immediately get sorted we’re going to……., well I don’t know what we’re going to do but something pretty damn serious, thats for sure.

    25
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    Mute B Feery
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    Sep 14th 2012, 2:46 PM

    There should be a setting where you can toggle economics and politics news on or off

    42
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    Mute werejammin
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    Sep 14th 2012, 3:56 PM

    Yeah yeah, the day after the last bondholder gets paid. Why come to a deal with the people dumb enough to cover your losses for you?

    29
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    Mute graham galvin
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    Sep 14th 2012, 5:09 PM

    exactly.have to make sure the boys are looked after in the heist.

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    Mute Tom Newell
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    Sep 14th 2012, 4:05 PM

    as long as the bankers and the god like markets and bondholders are all paid off and happy the ordinary mortal can wait to be helped………..same excuses from these lot!

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    Mute Real Ireland
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    Sep 14th 2012, 2:55 PM

    Im happy its the EU making the promises.

    If it was Enda & Co id say it was simply spin and bluff, but ill happily take the word of the EU for now.

    18
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    Mute Allan Lockie
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    Sep 14th 2012, 3:24 PM

    i think the thing is,no promises are being made..

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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Sep 14th 2012, 4:59 PM

    Agree with the too many maybe’s and if’s…in the meantime we’re being hammered into the finncial stone age. This macks once again of Ireland’s small and insignificant voice at the European table…if this was France or Germany there’d be fk all maybe’s and they’d be climbing their own arses to get t resolved. It demonstrates how utterly ineffective our crowd are in Europe and continue to wait to be served while we suffer on and on..

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    Mute Nially OC
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    Sep 14th 2012, 5:59 PM

    The picture is of Jean Claude Juncker and not Jean Claude Trichet … for what it’s worth !

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    Mute Buckwheat MacMillan
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    Sep 14th 2012, 7:17 PM

    They may have as well have had a picture of Jean-claude van Damme for what pt it’s worth

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    Mute Slap'stick Ireland
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    Sep 14th 2012, 7:24 PM

    Trichet is just another puppet carrying out orders. I find it hard to believe,We (Irish) haven’t copped on to this stageshow being played out via controlled media. seriously, We now need to wakes-up.

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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Sep 14th 2012, 4:59 PM

    Forgive the typos…should read financial and smacks..

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    Mute Catherine lonergan
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    Sep 14th 2012, 3:30 PM
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    Mute Mick Collins
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    Sep 14th 2012, 3:48 PM

    Round up the usual suspects.

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Sep 14th 2012, 11:44 PM

    Sorry Mick, Enda’s not available he doesn’t do debates or conversations. Would have thought you knew that?

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