Storm Eunice: Kerry escapes the worst as red alert lifted

A large number of homes are without power and some areas experienced flooding, but the damage is not as bad as had been feared

Trevor Read and Nicola McDermott watching the waves at Clogher Head, Co Kerry, ahead of Storm Eunice. Picture: Valerie O'Sullivan

The red weather alert has been lifted in Kerry and the damage from Storm Eunice is not as bad as had been feared.

There are around 20,000 homes without power in the county.

Winds did not pick up until around 6am, while hail has fallen on higher ground.

The weather warning status has now been reduced to Orange and continues until 11am and Kerry County Council is urging caution on roads.

Trees and telegraph poles and branches are down around the county, but mainly on local roads. 

The flood-prone Princes Quay and Godfrey Place in Tralee experienced their usual flooding. A shed had blocked the road near Asdee.

Fallen electricity lines

The ESB is also warning the public to watch out for fallen electricity lines.

Kenmare town and much of Caherciveen, also in south Kerry, was without power this morning.

In all, around 20,000 homes, are without power earlier, mainly in low-lying coastal areas on the Dingle and Iveragh peninsulas, but this will be restored by afternoon, it is expected.

Water services may be impacted in a number of areas because of the outages. 

Kerry Fire services, which had not been put on standby at their stations for the red alert, report mainly attending to trees.

Sandbags had been delivered to Ballylongford in the Shannon estuary but High Tide passed without incident.

Meanwhile, there is massive disruption to services with all schools closed, all child services closed, Bus Éireann services delayed, waste collection delayed, and Killarney National Park also closed.