Storm Darragh leaves thousands powerless in Ireland.
Downed power lines in residential street.
Credit: Shutterstock, Scott Alan Ritchie
120,000 still in the dark after 140km/h winds batter the country.
It’s lights out for thousands across Ireland as Storm Darragh wreaks havoc with hurricane-force winds, leaving 120,000 homes and businesses powerless. While crews are working around the clock, some unlucky residents may not see electricity restored until midweek.
Power restored, but it’s not over yet
The storm, which hit with winds of up to 140km/h on Friday, December 6, initially left 395,000 homes and businesses in the dark. Since then, ESB Networks have made impressive progress, restoring power to 275,000 properties as of Saturday, December 7.
However, 120,000 homes are still waiting for the lights to come back on. While most faults are expected to be fixed by 7 PM on Sunday, December 8, the bad news is that some areas won’t see power until Monday, Tuesday, or even Wednesday.
The hardest-hit areas in Ireland
Here’s a breakdown of when power might return to the worst-affected areas:
- Co Meath and Co Cavan: Kells and Ballyjamesduff residents may need to wait until Monday evening.
- Sligo: Clusters in Ballytivnan face outages until Wednesday.
- Co Mayo: Bangor Erris and Bellacorick are expected to be sorted by Sunday.
- Co Galway: Screeb, Parkmore, and Athenry will likely see the lights by Sunday night.
- Co Cork: Hartnetts Cross and Whitechurch could remain powerless until Monday evening.
- Co Kerry: It’s good news for Dingle, where power should return by Sunday.
- Donegal: Areas around Carndonagh, Moville, and Buncrana may have to hold out until Monday or Tuesday.
A call for community spirit
With thousands still stuck without heating or electricity, ESB Networks is urging people to check on vulnerable neighbours who might be struggling in the cold.
Help is at hand
If you or your family are affected, you can use the ESB PowerCheck map to track outages in your area, check expected repair times, and even sign up for text or email updates.
ESB’s message to the public
In a statement, ESB Networks said:
“We’re assessing the damage to the electricity network caused by the recent weather event. Updates on estimated restoration times will be provided as soon as crews have evaluated impacted areas. Thank you for your understanding.”
Let’s hope those still in the dark won’t be left waiting too long.
You can use the ESB PowerCheck map to track outages in your area, check estimated repair times, and register for text or email updates.
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