Storm Dennis: Thousands without power as wind warning issued

Thousands were left without power on Sunday after Storm Dennis swept across the country, bringing heavy rains and strong winds.

A status yellow wind warning was issued for nine counties on Sunday evening, with Met Éireann predicting average wind speeds of 50 to 60km/h and gusts of 90 to 110km/h.

The latest warning applies to counties Cork, Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Galway, Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo. The yellow alert was valid until 3am on Monday and follows an expired status orange alert, which was issued for the same counties.

The national forecaster said winds would be strongest on exposed coasts and hills, with a risk of flooding in coastal areas.

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ESB said thousands were left without power on Sunday due to faults caused by lightning damage. Some 3,500 customers were affected on Sunday night, though a spokesman told The Irish Times that the “vast majority” of faults would likely be fixed before repair crews stood down.

The number of properties affected by the outages peaked at about 18,000 just before 4pm, the spokesman said.

Conditions were predicted to be stormy during the early part of the night, especially in the west and north. Scattered heavy showers of rain and hail would persist, Met Éireann said, with a risk of thunder.

Temperatures on Sunday night were set to be cold, with lows of 2-4 degrees.There was a possibility of some frost forming as gale-force winds die down.

Meanwhile, a man has died in Wales after the storm brought high winds and heavy rain to parts of the UK. The man fell into the River Tawye at Ystradgynlais area, in south Wales, at about 10am on Sunday morning and was later found dead, according to police.

Storm Dennis lashed parts of the UK with more than a month’s worth of rain in 48 hours, leading to a record number of flood warnings and alerts in England.

Roads and railways were flooded on Sunday morning after torrential downpours and high winds caused by the second storm in just over a week.

The situation was said to be “life-threatening” in south Wales, where the Met Office issued a red warning due to heavy rainfall and flooding risk.

Flight information

Dublin Airport said a small number of flights had been cancelled to and from the airport as a result of Storm Dennis. Passengers were advised to check the latest flight information with their airline before coming to the airport.

Motorists were being advised to slow down, be aware of reduced visibility, look out for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists impacted by the windy conditions and to allow more room to brake on the roads.

Cork County Council on Sunday said it had put response crews on standby. It has cancelled the operation of the Dursey Cable Car, which operates between the tip of the Beara Peninsula and the island, as it cannot operate once wind speeds hit 65km/h.

Fota Wildlife Park has closed to the public as a result of Storm Dennis, citing the safety of visitors and animals. - Additional reporting: PA