Up to 18,000 homes and businesses still without power following Storm Franklin
Owenahincha, West Cork: Just two days after Storm Eunice caused major damage in Ireland, Storm Franklin made landfall with gale force winds and torrential rain. Picture: Andy Gibson
Up to 18,000 homes and businesses are still without power this afternoon following the damage caused by Storm Franklin.
The ESB said it has restored power to 11,000 customers since this morning but added it could be tomorrow evening before every fault is fixed.
Over 29,000 homes and businesses were without power this morning as Storm Franklin continued to make its way across the country.
Counties Donegal and Sligo were most impacted by the power outages.
ESB Networks crews have restored power to 11,000 customers in the Northwest this morning. They are continuing to work to repair the damage to the network caused by #StormFranklin. Updates on restoration times are on https://t.co/EU6R9nRfwR. Full update @esbnetworks.ie pic.twitter.com/f6dLxm7zk3
— ESB Networks (@ESBNetworks) February 21, 2022
Met Éireann warned that Storm Franklin would cause "gale force westerly winds with severe and damaging gusts".
A gust of 139kp/h was recorded at Mace Head on Sunday.
Status orange wind warnings issued for parts of the North and North-West have now lifted, while a yellow wind warning for the entire country expired at 9am on Monday.
There was a yellow wind warning in place for Wexford and Wicklow until midday and until 1pm for Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry.
Storm Franklin is quickly following Storm Eunice, with status orange wind warnings issued for much of the west coast.
The director of services with Donegal County Council, Gary Martin, has urged motorists in the area to exercise caution as a number of roads are still blocked because of fallen trees.
Mr Martin told RTÉ radio’s that council crews have been out since first light attempting to clear roads, but there had been widespread reports of downed trees so the full extent of the damage was yet to be determined.
Roads would be cleared as soon as possible, he said.
ESB confirmed on Monday morning that just over 29,000 customers were without power in the wake of the storm, while Northern Ireland Electricity Networks confirmed that just under 3,000 customers remain cut off.
Parts of the country were still clearing up after Storm Eunice when the latest storm hit.
Sligo County Council had made the decision in advance to close certain coastal roads, as well as the popular Strandhill promenade, due to fears of flooding at high tide.
Brian Tapley of ESB Networks said on Monday that crews had been working since first light and hoped to restore power to all customers by Monday night.
"Our technicians have been nearly three or four days at this now. So fatigue is something we have to be mindful of as well," he told RTÉ radio.
Met Éireann forecaster Deirdre Lowe said that the country had certainly felt the impact of three storms in quick succession.
"It makes the impacts more risky. Structures have been weakened, tree roots have been weakened. There was a lot of fallen trees this morning, particularly in Donegal and Sligo.
"Certainly, one storm coming in after another. It's due to a very strong jet stream over Ireland, which has persisted in the past week," she told RTÉ radio.
She also warned that the country could see snow and sleet in the days to come.
According to Met Éireann, the wind should ease throughout the morning with bright but cloudy conditions expected, followed by outbreaks of rain.
"Storm Franklin will cause gale force westerly winds with severe and damaging gusts," said Met Éireann.
Storm Franklin is the third named storm to hit the county in the last week. Storm Dudley hit on Wednesday followed by Eunice on Friday.
Check out the Irish Examiner's WEATHER CENTRE for regularly updated short and long range forecasts wherever you are.
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