Status Yellow thunder warning issued as lightning strikes leave thousands without power

Lightning strikes have left thousands of homes and businesses in the south-east without power this afternoon.

Met Éireann has issued a status yellow warning for thunder for Waterford, Leinster and Monaghan.

It will remain in place until 3am tomorrow morning.

The ESB said it will take two to three hours to restore power supplies.

Alan O'Reilly from the Carlow Weather Channel says the storms are localised, but quite powerful.

Mr O'Reilly said: "There are severe thunderstorms already in parts of the south-east which are moving north north-west with a lot of lightning and torrential downpours in parts of Waterford, south Kilkenny, Wexford and Carlow."