Almost 40,000 homes and businesses still without power after Storm Ellen

The Cutting in Skibbereen is closed today as emergency repairs are being carried out to a culvert after the floods on Wednesday night. Picture: Andy Gibson

Just under 40,000 homes and businesses are still waiting to have their electricity supply restored.

Storm Ellen hit the country on Wednesday night, with gusts of up to 143 kilometres per hour recorded at Roches Point in Cork.

The worst affected counties for outages are Cork, Tipperary, Westmeath and parts of Galway.

ESB Networks has already restored power to more than 140,000 customers since the storm struck two nights ago.

Derek Hynes from ESB Networks said they are working to get everyone's supply fixed today.

Mr Hynes said: "This morning we have just under 40,000 homes and businesses without power and we worked on until pretty late yesterday evening.

"So the areas affected now are starting to diminish, thankfully, so most people have their power back, but we still have significant numbers of families in places like Nenagh, Birdhill, Thurles, Midleton, Toomevara without power."