*Clare County Council crews clear fallen trees on the Golf Links Rd in Ennis.
CLOSE TO 10,000 homes and business are without power across Co Clare in the aftermath of Storm Darragh while motorists have been advised to express “extreme caution” on the county’s roads.
Gusts of 120km/h were recorded at Shannon during Storm Darragh. Clare is one of seven counties that were under the Status Red weather warning which was in effect from 9pm on Friday evening until 2am on Saturday morning. A separate yellow warning for rain was in effect in Clare until 10am on Saturday morning.
Clare County Council have crews across the county attempting to clear fallen trees and debris. The local authority has appealed to motorists “to exercise extreme caution” if travelling on Saturday. “Fallen trees, wind-blown debris and spot flooding are present across the road network”.
Thousands of homes are without power in Co Clare with just forty outages impacting on 9,919 homes and businesses.
According to ESB, crews are aiming to restore power by 5pm on Saturday. Knockanean, Ennistymon, Miltown Malbay, Barefield, Dysart O’Dea, Cooraclare, Kilnaboy and Kilmaley have experienced the biggest impact in terms of loss of supply.
Areas without power include Knockanean (1596), Miltown Malbay (964), Ennistymon (851), Cooraclare (808), Barefield (770), Kilnaboy (725), Cratloe (678), Dysart O’Dea (634), Kilmaley (587), Kilkishen (518), Feakle (397), Tulla (262), Gort (261), Drumbiggle (156), Cree (142) and Cloughleigh (135).
Outages have also been reported in Truagh (131), Kilrush (120), Gillogue (100), Westbury (100), Kilmurry McMahon (65), Latoon (59), Drumquin (58), Cranny (48), Kilkee (48), Kilfenora (42), Maurice’s Mills (39), Ballincarra (36), Bunratty (27), Kilmoon (26), Bridgetown (23), Killaloe (18), Oatfield (15) and Darragh (10).
Businesses in Clare are also counting the cost of the Storm with structural damage reported to several premises across the county.
Fallen trees have been reported in Ballycasey, Ballyalla, Ballymaley, Inch, Ballyea and Doora among other areas with fallen poles in Lahinch and Kilfenora, the latter is causing a roadblock.