Ophelia-hit areas in the firing line as Storm Brian roars in from the Atlantic
THE country was bracing itself for the wrath of Storm Brian just days after Ophelia caused damage and devastation across Ireland.
With communities still reeling from the carnage of Ophelia, the latest storm is set to bring heavy rainfall and gusts of up to 130kmh in some counties.
A status orange wind warning is in effect until 10pm for counties Mayo, Galway, Clare, Kerry, Cork, Waterford and Wexford.
The areas that bore the brunt of Ophelia’s extreme conditions are prepared for the worst, while a status yellow wind warning remains in place for the rest of the country.
Council workers in Cork deployed sandbags in flood danger areas last night and many smaller rivers were cleared of debris amid fears of localised flooding. However, the high tide passed off last night without reports of any major incident
The public has been urged once more to check up on elderly neighbours and people living alone to ensure they are not suffering as a result of the latest storm to smash into Ireland in less than a week.
While Storm Brian was classified as an Atlantic winter storm, it was particularly unwelcome as it arrived so closely on the heels of Ophelia.
The Department of Transport last night warned people to heed the weather warnings.
In a statement the department said: “We’re asking people to take extra care. Rough seas and extreme weather might look exciting, but getting too close can be risky. The Coast Guard strongly advises the public to stay away from exposed beaches, cliffs and piers, harbour walls and promenades along the coast.”
The Office of Public Works was monitoring both coastal and river levels last night.
Smaller rivers rather than major rivers are expected to be more prone to flooding. Up to 50mm of rain was expected to be dumped in some parts of the country by Storm Brian.
The status orange wind warnings caused Iarnród Éireann to cancel train services today on the Limerick Junction to Waterford route and the Limerick to Ballybrophy service via Nenagh.
A number of other routes would be subject to delays of up to 30 minutes due to speed restrictions.
Shannon Airport stated it would remain open but advised passengers to contact their airlines before travelling.
ESB Network crews have been working flat-out since Monday’s extreme weather event but the company warned last night they may have to stop for a number of hours at the height of Storm Brian for safety reasons.
Derek Hynes, operations manager for ESB Networks, told the Irish Independent his crews restored power to almost 350,000 customers hit by Ophelia. Some 29,000 homes were still without power yesterday, mainly in parts of Wexford, north Cork and Tipperary.
Despite Storm Brian, he hoped power would be restored to everyone by early next week.
However, he warned the network could be hit again where Ophelia struck and a number of trees in these areas are also in a weakened state.
The Defence Forces had made Kilworth Barracks in north Cork available as a base for ESB repair crews.