Storm Ashley: Thousands of homes left without power as high winds cause travel disruption

THOUSANDS of homes are without power across Northern Ireland and the Republic as Storm Ashley continues to cause widespread disruption.

Around 4,000 homes in Northern Ireland were without power on Sunday evening, but Northern Ireland Electricity has said even more may be affected.

In the Republic, a further 53,000 homes and businesses are also reported to have lost power.

Stormont has confirmed its Storm Ashley contingency plans, as the Met Office issued an Amber warning for “strong and disruptive winds”.

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The Amber warning is effective from 1pm to 8pm on Sunday, October 20, in counties Derry, Fermanagh, Tyrone and north Antrim.

In addition, all counties in the north remain under a Yellow, medium impact, warning until midnight on Sunday.

More: How long will Storm Ashley last? Full weather warning and how it will affect Northern Ireland

Police have urged the public to consider the potential risks of any journey.

The disruption has also extended to Belfast City Airport, where several passengers complained of being unable to disembark from planes.

An airport spokesperson said: “We appreciate the inconvenience caused by adverse weather conditions however the health and safety of our passengers and our staff is of the utmost importance.”

A Stormont spokesperson has said multi-agency partners had continued to meet over the weekend.

They added: “These strong winds in conjunction with high spring tides and large waves can generate a tidal surge which may cause some disruption.

“Staff from all agencies have continued to monitor the situation through the weekend and are ready and prepared to respond to any impacts.

“The weather conditions could lead to debris on the roads, fallen trees and spray or large waves on exposed and vulnerable coastal areas. Due to the potential for large waves, flooding of coastal roads is also possible - please remember not to drive through flood water.

“Temporary tidal flood defences (which are part of Belfast Tidal Flood Alleviation Scheme) have been deployed as a preventative measure along the River Lagan in the vicinity of Lockview Road / Cutters due to Storm Ashley in advance of high tide.

“We apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused to people travelling in the area. Rivers staff will continue to monitor high tides at sensitive locations along the coast over the weekend.”

“Advice and information on the current weather warnings is available here, while traffic information can be found at: TrafficWatchNI - Home .

You can report an obstruction at: Report an obstruction on a road or street | nidirect or call the 24-hour number on 0300 200 7899.

Monitoring of river levels and tidal surges has been ongoing and will continue until the weather warning has elapsed.

Rivers teams remain on standby and have been checking and clearing drainage screens and other assets.

Regional Community Resilience Groups have also been advised of weather patterns and to make appropriate preparations.

The Stormont spokesperson added: “The power of water is often on show during a storm as waves crash against harbour walls, piers and cliffs.

“It looks spectacular, but surges can easily sweep a person off their feet and into trouble. All it takes is one wave to drag you out to sea – a dramatic photograph or selfie is not worth risking your life. If you see someone get carried away by a wave, call 999 and ask for Coastguard.”

NIE Networks is reminding the public to stay clear of any damaged electricity equipment and report it immediately to the Customer Helpline on 03457 643 643.

Members of the public should never approach a broken pole or electricity line.

Should customers experience a power cut they can check for updates at Powercheck NI and report the fault online or call the NIE Networks Customer Helpline on 03457 643 643.