Cork escapes flooding but braces for Brian

An already storm-battered Cork City avoided flooding overnight but a weather warning remains in place for today.

The city, already in cleanup mode after Storm Ophelia, had been braced for flooding last evening but largely escaped unscathed.

However, a status orange wind remains in place for Cork from 3am to 9am today, with high winds expected to continue until lunchtime. However, no tidal flooding is expected.

Cork City Council has advised people to travel with care as many trees and buildings remain damaged and unstable following Storm Ophelia.

As a precaution Cork City Council is activating the emergency freephone number (1800 283034) from 8.30am to 5pm today.

The local authority also advised that Daly’s Bridge (Shaky Bridge) on the Mardyke has been closed today until next Wednesday to facilitate a full engineering inspection.

The Marina is and will remain open as normal between Blackrock and the Marina/Centre Park Rd Junction, while the Centre Park Rd (from the Marina to the Link Rd) is closed and will remain so even after completion of tree removal operations due to serious damage to road and footpath surfaces.

Centre Park Rd, from the Link Rd to Victoria Rd, was opened yesterday for vehicular traffic only.

A combination of high tides and winds put people living in low-lying areas of Youghal, Midleton, Bantry, and Clonakilty on high alert yesterday.

Due to Storm Brian and the current issues with flooding on the roads, damage to footpaths and trees around Páirc Uí Chaoimh patrons are being advised to arrive early for the tomorrow’s matches, park in the city, or Boreenmanna Rd.

More than 5,000 sandbags were handed out by county council workers in the Youghal and Midleton areas.

Dave Clarke, the council’s senior executive engineer for the two towns, said the predicted tide was 4.2m high, which was not the highest he has seen, but had potential “to cause some element of flooding.”

Storm Brian is expected to hurl further strong winds at the region, with some gusts in coastal areas likely to be up to 130 km/h.

In Youghal, a high tide is expected from 7am today. All boats were taken out of the inner harbour yesterday as the town braced itself for a possible major tidal flood today.

The ESB said it will stand down crews for safety reasons if very high-speed winds strike Cork.

The county still has the highest number of households without power in the country.

More than 30,000 have yet to be restored, primarily in rural areas around Fermoy, Bandon, and Dunmanway.

Four regional roads remained closed yesterday, but it was expected that one of them, the R627 Midleton to Dungourney, would reopen today. The road had been blocked by more than 20 large trees and downed powerlines.

County council and ESB crews are continuing to clear the R597 in Glandore, R632 Ladysbridge to Garryvoe road, and the R590 from Crookstown to Macroom.

Residents in Clonakilty breathed a sigh of relief last night as feared coastal flooding did not come to pass as high tide came and went without incident.

Residents of the town, along with those in other low-lying coastal areas such as Bantry, had been braced for possible floods as a tidal surge was due following heavy rain and gathering winds.

A spokesman for Cork County Council in Clonakilty said in advance of high tide yesterday that pumps were at the ready and sandbags were available, while many householders were already placing flood prevention devices in their doorways as spot flooding occurred on approach roads.

Meanwhile, some 29,000 homes and business remain without power in the aftermath of Storm Ophelia. ESB Networks has restored power to 356,000 customers since Monday.