Storm Kathleen winds abate but hundreds of Cork homes still without power
Cork City Council staff clear away a fallen tree at the Lough, Cork after it fell during Storm Kathleen on Saturday morning. Luckily, there were no injuries and no damage to power lines at the busy public amenity. Larry Cummins
STORM Kathleen's winds are starting to abate across Cork but a yellow wind warning remains in place until 8pm tonight.
Thousands of homes and businesses have had power restored but hundreds are still waiting for faults to be rectified.
Power outages reported on Saturday across the country were concentrated in Mayo, Galway, Kerry and Cork.
A spokesperson for ESB Networks said: “Crews are mobilised in impacted areas and responding to power outages where safe to do so.
“ESB Networks is continuing to monitor the situation as Storm Kathleen tracks across the country and weather warnings remain in place.
“With high winds forecasted into the afternoon, further outages can be expected in impacted areas.”
Forecaster Met Eireann had warned of gale force southerly winds bringing a risk of difficult travel conditions, fallen trees, power outages and flooding along coastal areas.
Keith Leonard, national director of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM), urged people to stay away from all coastal areas during the Met Eireann warnings.
“Importantly, I would remind people that it is critical that they never ever touch or approach fallen wires,” he said, urging people to contact ESB Networks instead.
EARLIER:
CREWS from Cork City Fire Brigade dealt with approximately 30 call-outs relating to Storm Kathleen since early this morning, a spokesperson has told The Echo.
Three crews from Anglesea Street and one crew from Ballyvolane were out “pretty much constantly” since 6am this morning, the spokesperson said.
They dealt with road hazards, fallen trees and dangerous buildings while Met Éireann’s Status Orange wind warning remained in effect across the city and county.
Fire service personnel also dealt with a number of routine call-outs throughout the morning involving automatic fire alarms and other run-of-the-mill incidents.
“We dealt with roughly about 20 fallen trees and about 10 dangerous buildings over the course of the morning,” the spokesperson said.
“We were literally going solid from about six in the morning until about half two, with a crew just back from Douglas, where there [were] two calls relating to fallen trees adjacent to each other, and they’re just back now.”
Crews from ESB Networks have restored electricity to thousands of homes and businesses across Cork city and county after they were left without power due to the effects of Storm Kathleen.
Some areas remain without electricity, but most of the customers who were earlier affected have now had power restored.
In Whitechurch, 139 homes and businesses remain currently without power, compared to the 1,581 people in the area who were earlier left without electricity since approximately 7.30am.
In Ballydehob, 46 people are still without power, while in Rathmore 33 homes and businesses are without electricity. In Roscarberry, 16 people are awaiting the restoration of service.
In Bantry, 13 homes and businesses are without electricity, and in Castlelyons, 44 people are without power.
Electricity supply has been restored to some 1,549 customers in the Ballincollig area who were without power since approximately 11am.
ESB Networks has advised customers to visit the website powercheck.ie to see estimated times for restoration of power.
The network advises that fallen electricity wires are live and dangerous, and should never be approached or touched. If you see a fallen electricity wire, call 1800 372 999, 999 or 112.
EARLIER:
CORK Airport has seen some minor delays this morning thanks to Storm Kathleen, but the airport has seen very little flight disruption.
Two flights were cancelled yesterday in anticipation of the storm, Aer Lingus EI 711 from London Heathrow to Cork, and Aer Lingus EI 712 from Cork to Heathrow.
Passengers were rebooked to other flights, a spokesperson for daa, the airport operator, said, but those two flights were the only services affected so far.
“Apart from some minor delays, there has been very little flight disruption so far today, thankfully,” the spokesperson said.
EARLIER:
CORK City Fire Brigade crews are currently out all over the city dealing with the effects of Storm Kathleen.
Fire service personnel have received approximately 20 call-outs since around 6am this morning, and have been dealing with road hazards, fallen trees and dangerous buildings.
A fire service spokesperson told The Echo they had been dealing with a few dangerous buildings, but mostly crews were out with chain saws and dealing with fallen trees.
“Trees have been down in Glanmire and Little Island, down at The Lough, they’re all over the place,” they said.
They added that they had responded to a small number of reports of dangerous buildings and fallen slates in city areas.
Crews from Anglesea Street and Ballyvolane have been out since the first reports of storm damage began to come in around 6am this morning.
Meanwhile, a Met Éireann Status Orange wind warning remains in effect until 2pm today.
Crews from Anglesea and Ballyvolane are dealing with a large number of incidents as a result of Storm Kathleen around the City and County.
— Cork City Fire Brigade (@CorkCityFire) April 6, 2024
Currently Ballyvolane are in attendance at substantial tree blocking the road between the Riverstown Bar and Monkey Maze
Road is closed pic.twitter.com/y3CBPdxMXu
A Garda source has said gardaí across the county are dealing with a “significant” volume of calls relating to Storm Kathleen, with a number of trees down and road hazards reported.
“We’re responding to a large number of calls as they come in, as are our colleagues in the fire service, removing trees and dealing with road hazards as they are reported,” they said.
The source said An Garda Síochána had not as yet received any reports of serious incidents related to the storm.
“We’ve been dealing with a lot of calls, but thankfully nothing of major significance so far,” they said
Thousands of homes and businesses across Cork county are currently without electricity due to the effects of Storm Kathleen.
According to ESB Networks, 1,581 people in Whitechurch are without power since approximately 7.30am this morning, and repairs are not expected to be completed until approximately 6pm.
Some 1,549 customers in the Ballincollig area have been without power since approximately 11am, and the supplier currently estimates that they will have service restored by 6pm.
In Kilmoney, some 93 people are without power since approximately 9.40am, with a restoration time estimated for 6pm.
Some 19 customers in Curraleigh are without power, and in Macroom, 38 people have been without power since early this morning.
In Kanturk, power has been out since approximately 10.30am, leaving 20 people affected.
In Foxhole, 39 people have been without electricity since approximately 9am, while in Rathmore, 67 people have been without power since earlier this morning.
In Roscarberry, some 26 people have been without power since this morning, and in Ballydehob 36 people are without electrictity, while in Bantry 13 are without power.
In Glengarriff, 46 people have been without electricity since approximately 8am, while in Castletownbere 74 homes and businesses are without power.
ESB Networks has advised customers to visit the website powercheck.ie to see estimated times for restoration of power.
Meanwhile, it has been reported on social media that power has been restored to homes and businesses in Ringaskiddy, Rochestown and Passage West.
Crews from ESB Networks have repaired faults in Mitchelstown, Clonakilty, Lee Bridge and Beal na Bláth.
The Irish Coast Guard has not so far received any reports of any incidents relating to Storm Kathleen, a spokesperson for Valentia Coast Guard Marine Rescue Coordination Centre has said.
CORK City Fire Brigade reports an extremely busy morning, with crews responding to the effects of Storm Kathleen since early this morning.
Three crews from Anglesea Street and one from Ballyvolane have been out since the first reports began to come in around 6am this morning.
Fire service personnel have been responding all morning to reports of road hazards from across the city, with trees down and roofs blown off buildings.
A spokesperson for Cork Fire Brigade said they had not received any reports relating to serious incidents of flooding in the city.
Anglesea Street control is currently stacking calls as fire crews respond to incoming reports of road hazards and dangerous buildings.
A Garda source has said gardaí in the city are responding to a heavy volume of calls relating to Storm Kathleen, but so far An Garda Síochána has not received any reports of serious incidents related to the storm.
“Just a very heavy volume of calls so far, but nothing unexpected, thankfully,” they said.
FALLEN trees and power outages have been the result of the force of Storm Kathleen as it makes its way across Cork.
Thousands are without power in Cork city and county.
Almost 1600 people are in Whitechurch are affected and 800 in Macroom and over 750 in Mitchelstown.
There are several other smaller outages elsewhere in Cork.
Fallen trees have also been reported in several areas, including at Ballyvolane near Dunnes Stores, Oldcourt Rochestown and between Killumney and Ballincollig.
ESB Networks is aware that some customers are experiencing power outages due to #StormKathleen.
— ESB Networks (@ESBNetworks) April 6, 2024
Our dedicated teams are working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. Visit https://t.co/GXyuew8I9W to stay informed about estimated restoration times and updates. pic.twitter.com/YVgkIgrB1v
Gusts of 111kmh have been recorded at Sherkin Island and winds of 85kmh at Roches Point.
Winds are expected to hit their peak over the next few hours and slowly ease off in the late afternoon and evening.
#StormKathleen will bring very strong & gusty southerly winds to all areas today, with severe & damaging gusts in the south & west🌬️⚠️
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) April 6, 2024
Coastal flooding & wave overtopping are likely🌊
Showers will move northeastwards across the country through the day🌦️
Highs of 12 to 15 C🌡️ pic.twitter.com/F5B086Z2g8
Cork is currently under a Status Orange wind warning that came into effect at 7am this morning and will remain in place until 2pm. A national Status Yellow warming is in place until 8pm tonight.
According to Met Éireann, possible impacts could include very difficult travel conditions, fallen trees, some power outages, coastal flooding and wave overtopping.
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