‘Further disruption possible’ after Storm Chandra causes flooding and power cuts

Forecasters have warned of possible further disruption as Storm Chandra continues to track across Ireland on Tuesday evening.

Wind and rain warnings are in place for Northern Ireland until midnight on Tuesday, while a nationwide wind warning is in effect in the Republic, along with a rain warning for south-eastern counties, until 11pm.

Hundreds of schools were closed and tens of thousands of people were left without power after the storm swept across the island of Ireland.

Travel disruption was caused by the strong winds and torrential rain, with flooded roads and fallen trees reported across the island.

In Northern Ireland, more than 300 schools were closed and at least 30 flights were cancelled at Belfast City Airport.

Strangford Lough Ferry Service was cancelled until it was considered safe to resume and Translink warned that passengers should allow for delays to their journey.

Police said persistent rain had led to flooding on a number of roads.

Northern Ireland Electricity said the number of households without power peaked at 9am when 10,000 properties were without supply.

An amber wind warning was in place until 9pm in Antrim, Down and Derry, and the yellow rain warning for the six counties was in effect until midnight.

The public were warned of danger to life from flying debris, large waves at coasts, travel disruption, damage to buildings, flooding, fallen trees, and possible power cuts.

The poor weather is expected to continue into Wednesday morning, with the Met Office issuing a yellow-level ice warning for all of Northern Ireland between 3am and 10am.

In the Republic of Ireland, ESB said around 20,000 homes, farms and businesses lost power due to the storm at its peak, and efforts to reconnect homes and businesses left without power are to continue into the night.

Enniscorthy in Co Wexford was particularly badly hit after the river Slaney burst its banks – marking the sixteenth time the town has flooded since 2001.

Grandmother Elaine Grant described how she, her daughter Casey and her three-week-old grandson were rescued from an apartment in Enniscorthy after it flooded.

Slaney Search and Rescue brought along an empty boat to the apartment block so they could bring along items for the newborn.

“(The baby) slept the whole way through,” she told RTE Radio, as she called for Government measures for the flood-prone town.

The Government announced the Emergency Response Payment, an income-tested support for those unable to afford emergency costs for home items and structural repairs, would be available to people living in properties in Co Wexford and Dublin.

Dublin Fire Brigade said it had responded to a number of flooding incidents in the capital, after the River Dodder burst its banks, while in Dundalk, firefighters rescued two crew members of an ambulance which was tuck in floodwater under the Castletown Road railway bridge at around 6am.

A Status Yellow rain warning is in effect for Carlow, Kilkenny, Louth, Wexford, Wicklow and Waterford until 11pm, while all counties are under a Status Yellow wind warning.

Iarnrod Eireann said there are disruptions to Dart services and a number of ferry sailings have been cancelled between Dublin and Holyhead.

Dublin Airport said around 20 flights have been cancelled as of Tuesday afternoon due to Storm Chandra.

“With winds set to remain strong over the remainder of the day – both at Dublin Airport and other airports around Ireland, Europe and the UK – further disruption to flight schedules is possible.”

Met Eireann forecaster Matthew Martin said that Storm Chandra would continue to track northwards on Tuesday and the weather would remain “unsettled” for the rest of the week.

“There is a potential for further travel disruption and flooding tonight.”

Housing Minister James Browne said: “The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, local authorities and state agencies have been liaising since yesterday to manage the impact of Storm Chandra.

“While the weather warnings were only at Yellow Level, the impacts in some areas are severe given the level of water saturation in the ground prior to the storm.”