Co Cork bears brunt of Storm Francis as hundreds were left without power

Co Cork bore the brunt of Storm Francis on Monday night and Tuesday morning with high winds and heavy rain causing significant flooding as well as structural damage and power outages across the county.

Bantry and Bandon were among the worst hit towns in the county although homes and businesses in Dunmanway, Rosscarbery, Connonagh, Clonakilty, Passage West and Youghal were also embarking on a major clean-up on Tuesday afternoon as the storm winds eased.

Dozens of homes in Bantry were flooded as 25mm of rain fell on the town in just two hours leaving the town’s drainage system struggling to cope. New Street, Main Street, Barrack Street and the Square were the worst affected with council crews and the local fire brigade working with residents and business owners to clear debris and pump away remaining flood water.

In Bandon businesses also struggled to hold back the flood waters as the town was hit by its second significant storm in recent days with Francis following on the heels of last week’s Storm Ellen.

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Cork County Council Fire Service and Roads crews worked throughout Monday night to clear flood water and assist properties affected while the Council Management Team met on Tuesday to morning review the situation.

Hundreds of ESB customers were left in the dark as a result of power outages across Cork, Limerick, Tipperary and Galway caused by the storm's high winds.

Repeated spells of bad weather in some areas in the south of the country in recent weeks have left trees weakened with many susceptible to further damage prompting a request from council authorities to landowners to examine trees within their property for damage.

Motorists have also been urged to exercise extreme caution across the southern parts of the country as surface water and flooding made driving conditions hazardous.

Roads in Kilkenny and Waterford were blocked off for a period rendered impassable by fallen trees and flooding. The Bleach Road in Kilkenny city was closed while the road at Pinewood near Dungarvan in Co Waterford was also closed as a result of a fallen tree.

Surface water along the lower promenade in Tramore made driving conditions hazardous although roads in the area remained open.

Rescued

The fire service in Northern Ireland said 37 people were rescued from flood water. Elderly residents had to be rescued from the South Down coastal resort town of Newcastle after a river burst its banks, and in Draperstown in Derry rescuers had to save nine people from inside a house, along with four outside who were trying to help.

A boat was used to help residents in Newcastle. Up to 300 homes have been affected and streets were left under three or four feet of water, a local representative said.

The Met Office said some of the highest UK rainfall totals were recorded in Northern Ireland, with Lough Fea seeing 55mm, Killylane seeing 44.4mm and Ballypatrick seeing 43.8mm.

Additional reporting - PA