Storm Éowyn expected to be one of most dangerous on record in Ireland
Storm Éowyn expected to be one of most dangerous on record in Ireland
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People warned to stay at home, avoid the coast and charge up devices as widespread damage and outages expected. Ireland is bracing for what has been described as one of the most dangerous storms ever seen, with the national weather centre warning of violent winds from 2am on Friday.
Emergency services were on high alert and the country was preparing for a virtual standstill on Friday, with airports, schools, parks and offices to close and public transport cancelled during the peak hours of Storm Éowyn. Keith Leonard, the chair of the national emergency coordination group, said the storm would be one of the most dangerous storms Ireland has seen. “We expect this storm to be destructive, dangerous and disruptive. We can expect [gusts] greater than 130km/h inland, which is very, very unusual. It is going to be a damaging, dangerous and destructive weather event.”.
He said the winds would bring severe conditions, which would constitute a risk to life and property. The public have been warned to stay at home, to avoid the coast and to have phones and torches fully charged. The Electricity Supply Board has said extensive damage to electricity infrastructure is anticipated and widespread power outages are expected.
Leonard said it was likely that the number of people losing power would top the 385,000 figure from Storm Ophelia in 2017. “Our most important message today is that everybody needs to shelter in place for the duration of all red warnings,” he said.
“We are likely to see significant and widespread power outages, so I would encourage everyone to prepare ahead. Make sure phones, torches and laptops are fully charged. Ensure that there are no loose garden furniture or other items on your property that could cause problems in strong winds.”.
