Storm Debi’s trail of destruction has brought coastal flooding and left around 100,000 homes and businesses without power.
Heavy winds and fallen trees have been reported across Ireland as local authorities moved to respond to the damage following the lifting of red and orange weather alerts.
There has been coastal flooding in Galway City and nearby Oranmore. Downed trees and flooding were reported in Co Cavan while Louth County Council also recorded fallen power lines. A Government scheme to support people living in homes affected by severe weather has been extended to Co Galway following flooding in Galway City and nearby Oranmore.
FOLLOW LIVE: Updates as Storm Debi batters Ireland
An Irish postwoman was taken to hospital after being hit by flying debris in County Limerick during Storm Debi, according to the postal service. In a statement, a spokeswoman for An Post said: “Thankfully, she was not seriously injured.”
Fire crews in Meath responded to a number of incidents involving vehicles and fallen trees but reported no injuries. The ESB said it would have to work late through the night to return power to customers.
Met Eireann forecasters had warned of a potential “danger to life” as schools and services in parts of Ireland delayed opening due to weather warnings across the island. A yellow warning for every county in Ireland came into effect at midnight and is due to remain until 3pm on Monday.
The majority of the country was also placed under a series of now-expired red and orange wind warnings due to “severe and damaging gusts”. The weather caused disruption to early morning flights at Dublin Airport, while commuters in the city saw cancellations on a number of services.
Dublin Bus and Luas tram services have resumed in the city after being axed before 10am due to the storm. The bus-service operator advised services were returning on a phased basis with further disruption possible. A speed restriction of 50kph was put in place across the entire Irish Rail network as a precaution on Monday morning.
An ESB spokesman said approximately 100,000 customers were without power supply on Monday morning due to the storm Brian Tapley, of ESB Networks, said the worst affected areas are Tuam, Longford, the Midlands, Ashbourne and Navan.
A gust of 115kph was recorded at a Met Eireann weather station in Athenry, Co Galway, on Monday morning.
Junior minister Patrick O’Donovan said the scale of the damage will be clearer later in the day. He asked people to leave it to local authority workers and ESB workers to clear trees from the roads.
“The warning really to people that are going to go out on the roads is to stay away from trees because they could be very easily entangled with power lines and there is other risks associated with trees,” he told RTE Radio.
Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, said the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme will also be extended affected areas as required. She said: “I’m very conscious of the serious disruption that severe weather and flooding is causing for individuals and families in County Galway, especially in Oranmore and parts of Galway City.”
This is the fourth storm to affect Ireland this season, after Agnes, Babet and Ciaran. The Irish national director for fire and emergency management said Storm Debi is “probably the most intense storm” of the season so far.
Keith Leonard said: “It was probably the high winds of that leading edge of the storm as it came across the country that was the most hazardous piece. So probably the most intense storm we’ve had so far in the season.” He said there is a “general trend” of coastal flooding.
The National Emergency Co-ordination Group is due to meet at 11am.
The UK Met Office has also issued a yellow wind and rain warning for all of Northern Ireland on Monday, while an amber warning will apply to counties Down and Amragh.
The yellow warning came into effect at 3am on Monday and applies until 2pm, while the amber warning is in effect from 6am until midday.
The Met Office said heavy rain and strong winds may bring disruption and flooding to parts of the region. It advised people to be aware that homes and businesses could be flooded and there could be disruption to bus, rail and air travel.
The agency also warned that fast-flowing or deep floodwater and flying debris could cause a danger to life.
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