Thousands without electricity as Storm Eleanor rages

THOUSANDS of homes along the Mayo coastline are without electricity tonight (Tuesday) as Storm Eleanor rages.

The town of Westport lost power around 5.40 p.m., as did the nearby coastal centres of Louisburgh and Newport.

It is predicted that it will be 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. before the outages in the major population centres are restored.

Other more remote areas may have to wait until tomorrow or longer for a restoration of supply.

Residents of Westport reported a huge squall accompanied by violent gusts of wind just before the blackout.

“The wind was screaming. I never saw trees moving so violently,” one motorist on the road between Westport and Kilmeena told a local reporter around 6 p.m.

Many roads across Mayo are littered with tree branches and broken hedge foliage uprooted by the storm.

However, no accidents where there was a danger to life have been reported.

Serious flooding is being witnessed on the Newport to Castlebar road and there are reports of motorists being stranded.

Motorists are being urged to avoid the 10-mile of so stretch of roadway because of the flooding.

A fallen tree and a number of phone poles have toppled onto the road between Keelogues and Manulla near Castlebar and motorists have been advised of the dangers.

Seamus Murphy, Mayo Chief Fire Officer, says his crews have been extraordinarily busy in recent hours dealing with reports of fallen trees and flooding.

However, he outlined, no major emergency has been reported.

“The storm came on us very suddenly and then seemed to dissipate rapidly as well as it moved inland towards Roscommon and Leitrim,” Mr. Murphy explained.