Storm Bert live updates: New warnings issued as 60,000 homes and businesses without power

Back in Cork, council crews were busy this morning clearing damage to a wall on the N72 outside of Ballyhooly.
High tide in Bantry passed without incident, according to Cork County Council, as crews will continue to be deployed across the county amid flooding in several areas.
The R588 Copeen to Enniskeane road is closed due to flooding, while the R621 Longfield Bridge, Mallow, remains closed to traffic.
There is also flooding on the R624 outside IFI Cobh. Council crews have been deployed and motorists are advised to avoid the area.
Crews are also assessing fallen trees near overhead cables at Westview Cobh. Members of the public are advised to avoid this area.
In Monaghan, the council is reporting that Castle Road is flooded, but Monaghan Shopping Centre is still operating as usual.
Despite weather warnings, flooding and travel disruption, general election candidates will be on the campaign trail today, can anything stop them? Ronan McGreevy has all the latest in our election blog here.
Irish Rail has said there is disruption on Dublin to Belfast services due to flooding between Newry and Lurgan. The company said there are also delays to early Westport and Sligo to Dublin services due to flooding on the tracks.
Also on the travel front, Transport For Ireland said those seeking Local Link bus services should check with relevant transport operators before travelling as there may be delays or curtailments due to adverse weather conditions. Some services will be travelling at reduced speeds in the interests of safety.
Bus Éireann has cancelled a number of services in the south of the country. For details, check the company website here.
Barry Roche shares this photo of the bridge at the entrance to Belgooly in Co Cork where Storm Bert has caused flooding.
Clare County Council has advised the N67 north of Lisdoonvarna, between Toovareragh Church and Killeany junction, is impassable due to flooding. The road is now closed.
In Co Kerry, flooding has been reported in Tralee near the Rose Hotel. The N22 at Glenflesk is flooded as are roads at Fossa village, Glenbeigh, as well as the N71 near Kenmare and localised flooding in Killarney.
Barry Roche reports from Cork: A bakery owner and a homeowner in the centre of Riverstick village in South Cork were left counting the cost of Storm Bert as the gullies flowing into the nearby Stick river were unable to take the volume of rain and water began spouting up and flowing into both buildings.
Units of Cork County Fire Service from nearby Kinsale and other Cork County Council staff responded and began pumping out water from both the Flour House Bakery and Café and the adjacent private dwelling.
Local general election candidate Cllr Alan Coleman (Independent) said that the Office of Public Works (OPW) had provided some €40,000 for flood relief work on the river Stick but this was inadequate and he called on the agency to provide more funding to expedite the work.
“The OPW has provided €40,000 but that will go nowhere near resolving the flooding problem in Riverstick – it’s not a major job – another €200,000 would be enough so I’m calling on the OPW to provide the money and expedite the work so as to avoid any repeat of today’s flooding.”
Irish Times photographer Alan Betson shares this image of a blustery Dublin bay this Saturday morning.
Back in Donegal, a video shared by business owner Mairéad Ó Hagan Anderson shows the level of flooding on Bridge Street in the Killybegs area.
Thomas Pringle, a TD for the area, said his constituency office on Bridge Street along with several homes and businesses were flooded. “My thoughts are with everyone impacted,” Mr Pringle said.
While the status red warning for Cork has expired, Cork County Council says the effects of the rainfall event and strong winds may linger into the day. Council crews in the region are responding to the impacts of Storm Bert in West Cork and Cobh with reports of flooding and fallen trees.
A photo from Gougane Barra Hotel in Cork shows the R584 becoming impassible due to flooding.
Monaghan County Council is reporting significant localised flooding with some roads blocked by fallen trees. Council crews are on the ground and anyone travelling is advised to do so with care.
An update from Dublin Airport says flights are moving well but there have been a few delayed due to wind. “Staff are working hard to ensure minimal disruption for passengers,” a statement said.
One incoming flight has been cancelled this morning due to weather conditions at the other airport.
Barry Roche reports: Cork City Council has announced that the Corkmas Festive Market at Emmet Place will not open today due to Storm Bert while reports are also emerging of flooding on the R579 between Healy’s Bridge and Cloghroe on a stretch of road adjacent to the Shournagh river.
John Fallon in Galway reports: Galway County Council advised motorists not to travel unless it is absolutely necessary as some roads are flooded in the region following a night of heavy rain.
Storm Bert reached landfall last night but early morning reports in Galway suggest that damage has not been as bad as initially feared.
ESB crews are working to restore power in some areas with Connemara the worst hit.
There is flooding on the main N59 road from Galway on the approach to Clifden with local authority crews monitoring rising river levels.
There is also localised flooding in An Spidéal and on the N83 approaching Claregalway.
Back in north Cork, Barry Roche reports that more than 750 customers around Mallow lost power at about 7.30am but almost 550 of these have since had power restored.
In east Cork, more than 2,000 homes in Youghal have been without electricity since approximately 8.30am.
A new status yellow warning has been issued for Donegal from 8am on Sunday until 5am on Monday.
Met Éireann also issued a new yellow warning for Clare, Galway, Kerry, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo from 8am-7pm on Sunday. The forecaster reminded people to be careful of fallen trees and dangerous driving conditions.
In Northern Ireland, police are urging motorists to take extra care on a number of roads in the Newtownards area because of the impact of poor weather conditions.
It said that a fallen tree on the Belfast Road and on the Springvale Road, between Ballyhalbert and Ballywalter, has blocked both lanes.
The PSNI said a shed roof has been blown on to the Ballyquinn Road, Dungiven, and is causing an obstruction, and there is a heavy build-up of traffic in the Dunhill Road area of Coleraine because of snow. – PA
As Met Éireann forecasts the storm to remain the dominant feature of the weather over the weekend, ESB Networks said the numbers of premises without power had reached 60,000 and “further power outages can be expected”.
The ESB said its teams were closely monitoring the storm’s  impact on power supplies and “all available resources remain on alert”.
Flooding is becoming a significant problem along the west coast this morning as damage brought by Storm Bert is assessed.
The river Feale in Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick, has overflowed its banks. Emergency crews are responding.
There are also fears the river Galey between Newcastle West, Co Limerick and Listowel, Co Kerry, will burst its banks as heavy rain continues.
In Clifden, Co Galway, surface water is becoming a hazard to motorists. Bus Éireann has cancelled services on Route 434 between Clifden and Westport.
In Killybegs, Co Donegal, the town has been flooded with up to two feet of water reported in the streets. It is understood a fallen tree blocked a local river which diverted into the town. Emergency services are at the scene but significant damage to homes and property is expected.
Across Co Galway local authority grass playing pitches have been closed. The Galway city interagency emergency group is bracing for flooding in areas across the city. Local authority crews are monitoring the situation as high waves batter the coastline.
Barry Roche in Cork reports: It appears that Cork city has escaped flooding with gardaí at Anglesea Street reporting that they had received no reports of any flooding from either the city centre, or its suburbs and satellites such as Glanmire and Carrigaline which have been hit badly in the past.
Cork City Council had issued a statement earlier, saying that based on information from Met Éireann, there was no tidal flooding expected in Cork city and that Storm Bert was a pluvial or rainfall event that may lead to just localised spot flooding.
Meanwhile, ESB Networks reported a number of outages in both Cork and Kerry due high winds bringing down trees on power lines. Carrigaline was among the worst affected, where almost 2,500 customers were without power for several hours with 152 still awaiting restoration this morning.
Further west, some 1,300 customers in Rathmore, in Co Kerry, lost power around 6am but it is expected they will have power restored by midday. On the Iveragh Peninsula in South Kerry, some 2,500 customers around Cahersiveen and Waterville lost power at different stages.
A photo here from Carlow Weather shows flooding in the Killybegs area of Donegal with emergency services at the scene.
Some 60,000 homes and businesses are without power this morning after Storm Bert brought heavy winds and rainfall overnight.
Affected counties where large areas have lost power include Donegal Mayo, Galway, Sligo, Cork and Clare.
In Donegal some 12,000 people are currently without electricity with the worst of the outages in exposed areas near Gaoth Dobhair and Buncrana.
In Cahersiveen, Co Kerry, 6,813 premises are without power.
About 7,000 households and businesses Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon have been left without power, with many additionally damaged by localised flooding
ESB spokesperson Paul Hand said crews and contractors are responding where safe to do so. Mr Hand said the next update on numbers of homes and businesses affected would be available in about an hour.
Estimated restoration times are being posted on www.PowerCheck.ie and www.ESBNetworks.ie as restoration work progresses. The authority said any damage to network should be reported by calling 1800 372 999.
Rain and snow warnings cover Northern Ireland from midnight on Friday until 11am on Saturday. P&O Ferries said it had cancelled the 4am sailing between Larne in Northern Ireland and Cairnryan in Scotland’s south west on Saturday.
Barry Roche in Cork reports: Business people and homeowners in Bantry in West Cork were this morning breathing a sigh of relief as the town escaped flooding, amid fears that heavy rainfall from Storm Bert might bring a repeat of last month’s inundation which saw over 40 houses and shops flooded.
Met Eireann had issued a status red red rain warning for Cork and Galway with West Cork braced for the worst of the weather but this morning at 7am, gardai in Bantry were reporting that there was no major flooding anywhere in the town other than minor surface flooding on some roads.
Gardai in Bandon, Clonakilty and Skibbereen similarly reported that all three towns – each the beneficiary of significant investment by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in flood relief schemes in recent years – had again not suffered any flooding other than some surface water on roads.
However, Cork Safety Alerts was reporting that there was flooding on the main Cork to Bantry road, R586 at Ballineen while there was also flooding on the Bantry Line, the R587 at Ardcahan north of Dunmanway and both roads were impassable.
In East Cork where Midleton, like Bantry, is still awaiting a major OPW flood relief scheme and both homeowners and businesspeople are constantly on high alert for any Met Éireann rain warnings after Storm Babet caused millions of euros worth of damage in October 2023.
On Saturday morning, gardaí in Midleton at 7.15am, had received no reports of any flooding in the town or in any of the surrounding villages such as Ladysbridge, Mogeely, Whitegate, Castlemartyr and Killeagh where dozens of properties were damaged in Storm Babet.
As of 7am on Saturday morning it seemed that Cork county had escaped any major flooding with Mallow and Fermoy, thanks to OPW flood defence systems, avoiding a return to the inundation that was a perennial feature of both towns when the Blackwater burst its banks.
There was some surface road flooding on low lying roads and around Mallow, and Cork County Council did post that some local roads off the main Mallow- Killarney road (the N72), were closed at Spa Glen, Ballylough Cross and Parkadallane.
The council was forced to announce road closures at the Killavullen Road on the southern side of Mallow and at Longfields Bridge at Newberry west and upstream of the town due to rising water levels in the Blackwater.
Closer to Cork city, the operators of the Cross Ferry from Glenbrook to Carrigaloe, which links Cobh while Passage West and Monkstown, announced the cancellation of sailings this morning due to high winds.