More than a thousand homes still without electricity

More than a thousand homes and businesses were without power Monday morning after Storm Bella struck Ireland over the weekend.

Storm Bella hit Ireland on Saturday night and early Sunday morning with rain and strong winds in many places.

Customers in Cork, Kerry, Galway, Limerick, Mayo, Sligo, Donegal and Louth counties were left without power Monday morning due to clusters of power outages along Ireland’s west coast.

In Claregalway, more than 400 customers were still without power, while another 250 homes and businesses were also without power in the Moy area on Monday morning. More than 200 customers living between Westport and Castlebar had no power on Monday, while more than 300 customers living in the Co Limerick town of Bruff were also without power.

Further south in Co Cork, more than 430 customers in Bantry were also without power on Monday morning.

An ESB spokesperson said the network had experienced a “normal and stormy afternoon for this time of year” on Sunday and that ESB teams had “mobilized to repair any failures in the network.”

Weather advisories remained in place Monday for most of the western and northern counties with state yellow wind advisories for Donegal, Mayo, Sligo, Clare, Cork and Kerry counties until 2 p.m. Monday. late.

Met Éireann warned that northwesterly winds associated with Storm Bella could reach average speeds of 50 to 65 km / h with gusts of 90 to 110 km / h. The combination of strong winds, high waves and predicted storm surge could also lead to coastal flooding, the forecaster warned.

In the northern counties, rain, sleet and snow were expected to move south through Sunday night, leaving icy surfaces and causing travel disruptions Monday morning. A yellow wind and ice status warning affecting Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry counties expired at 10 a.m. Monday.

Monday is forecast to be a stormy day with widespread rain or hail, some snow on higher ground, and highs of 4-7 degrees. Some rains will continue with the risk of occasional floods, but there will also be drier and brighter periods in the east and the far west.

Monday night will be cold with frost and patches of ice in some areas, while Tuesday there will be sunshine and scattered showers with a chance of snow in some parts.

AA Roadwatch advised drivers to be careful of wet and icy road surfaces that make slowing and braking difficult. Road users should also expect windblown debris on all routes and give additional space to other road users, especially pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists, AA said.

In Co Kerry, there are detours on Tralee / Ballybunion Road, just south of Ballyduff, on the turnoff to the Causeway, as emergency services remove a downed tree, while more downed trees have been cleared from the N70 ring of Kerry between Kenmare and Blackwater. , according to the AA newsroom. A tree has also been felled on the N86 between Camp and Dingle.