ESB says power supply yet to be restored to 4,500 homes

About 4,500 homes in the south of the country are still without electricity after lightning strikes yesterday.

ESB Networks said it sent crews out to address the faults at first light today and that supply issues for some 5,500 customers had since been addressed.

It is still working on faults that are affecting some 4,500 homes, largely in counties Waterford and Cork, and hopes supply can be restored in the "next few hours".

The ESB said workers were severely hampered last night in operations due to severe bad weather involving “wave after wave of lightning” where some repairs were carried out, only to be followed by lightning strikes elsewhere.

The main areas affected last night were Cork, Clonakilty, Dunmanway, Bandon, Gorey, Enniscorthy, and Thomastown, the ESB said.

Met Éireann said a "slight risk of thunder" remains and that showers will continue in the western half of the country today with a few developing later in the east. The rain is likely to die out in inland areas tonight but coastal counties are forecast to see further showers and face "an increasing risk of thunder".

In Cork, houses in Avonmore Park were among some 1,700 homes which suffered power outages as a result of the lightning strikes across the south. There were also faults in Bantry, Bandon, Ballinspittle, Dunmanway, Clonakilty, Drimoleague and Kilbrittain in West Cork as well as others in the city.