Wind and rain take toll on south coast

While the predicted hurricane conditions did not materialise yesterday, heavy rain and gale-force winds left a number of roads around the country impassable for a time due to flooding.

From early yesterday morning, southern counties were buffeted by the gales and driving rain.

By rush hour, a number of major roads in Cork, including the Dublin-Cork motorway between Fermoy and Mitchelstown as well as parts of the motorway in Tipperary, the Kinsale Rd Roundabout, the Cork-Bandon Road, the N25 at Carrigtwohill and Main St in Midleton. were all covered by a thick layer of water.