No relief in sight as arctic chill ravages country

WITH an eye to the ever-changing skies outside, meteorologists have predicted no immediate let-up to the arctic chill that has already cost lives and widespread disruption to transport, business and blood supplies.

School closures, cancelled bus services and large-scale disruption to flights provided further evidence that we are a country not accustomed to dealing with such extreme weather.

Yesterday the Government’s emergency taskforce said there was only so much state agencies could do, as forecasters predicted record lows over the coming days.

Sean Hogan, director of the Government’s emergency taskforce, said it was impossible to avoid the transport disruption and it will continue for the rest of the week: “We are appealing to people in the community to help each other.”

The Department of Education said it has no figures on how many schools have been forced to shut down around the country because of the freezing conditions.

The Department of Health and Children said there has been a slight rise in the number of people attending accident and emergency departments with weather-related injuries.

All health services were operating as normal apart from postponements to some non-essential services, such as outpatient facilities, a spokesman said. Defence force vehicles took nurses to work in isolated parts of Co Galway.

The cold snap also wreaked havoc on the country’s main airport.

The main runway at Dublin Airport had to be shut overnight on Tuesday because of heavy snowfall and was later closed again yesterday afternoon until 6.45pm when flights resumed temporarily.

However, the runway was again closed by 8.30pm because of further heavy snowfall. Dublin Airport Authority said the runway would take four hours to clear once the snow stopped falling.

Approximately 200 flights had been affected by midnight last night.

Iarnrod Éireann said there were minor delays on some services, but all routes were operating.

Dublin Bus suspended all services from 8pm last night and Bus Éireann stopped some services in the south and south-east of the country.

Sport continued to be affected and, in Galway city, greyhound racing at the Sportsground in the city centre was called off last night.

A pitch inspection will take place at the same venue this morning to decide if Connacht’s Magners League fixture against Italian side Aironi will go ahead tomorrow evening.

Met Éireann forecaster Evelyn Cusack said temperatures could plunge lower as winds shifted from Arctic to Siberian.

More snow is expected in the run-up to the weekend, with bitterly cold temperatures expected to dip as low as -13C in Co Wicklow.

Ms Cusack said daytime temperatures were unlikely to rise high enough for a widespread thaw.