Some homes and businesses remain without power across Cork after Storm Gerrit

HUNDREDS of homes and businesses in Cork remain without power this morning following strong winds, thunder, and lightning reported across the county.

More than 1,000 properties in the Carrigaline area alone were without power for a period last night, with outages also reported in Clonakilty, Lee Bridge, and Timoleague, among other areas. 

While most power has now been restored, there are just under 100 homes and businesses still without power in the Carrigaline area this morning. The estimated restoration time is between 2pm and 4pm today.

Dozens of properties between Castlemartyr and Midleton also remain without power this morning, with an estimated restoration time of 4pm.

In the city, there is a fault in Mayfield where 17 properties are affected. It's estimated power will be returned by 2pm.

It came as Storm Gerrit swept across Ireland, with Cork, Kerry, Wexford, Waterford, and Clare under an orange wind warning.

A status yellow rain warning was also in place.

Poor conditions were reported across the county from early in the day, with a number of roads in Cork impassable due to localised floods for a time — including the R-621 (townlands including Kilvealaton West, Newberry, Gortnagros) and the R-587-167 (townlands including Demesne, Derreens, Derrylahan, Ardcahan).

Fota Wildlife Park closed its doors early yesterday.

Council crews were on standby yesterday in response to the warnings, with a spokesperson for Cork County Council saying that sandbags and pumps had been deployed to areas known to be affected by coastal flooding events.

Last night, the local authority warned that parts of West Cork were expected to see violent gusts for a period.

Speaking to The Echo, Cllr Danny Collins — who is based in the Bantry area — said that conditions were “fairly wild” in the area, but thankfully there was no significant damage barring some trees coming down.

He said that, on Tuesday night, three local businesses had experienced flooding when water came up through the sewers.

His brother and Cork South West TD Michael Collins — based in Goleen — reported the conditions were windy with heavy rain, but that it wasn’t on the scale of previous storms.

Meanwhile, Cork County Council has said that while its Civic Amenity sites are scheduled to open today, this will be subject to an inspection early this morning.

Met Éireann said that today will be another windy day with heavy showers and a chance of hail and thunder, as well as an ongoing risk of coastal flooding.