LATEST: Council in Tipperary issue urgent alert to public as Storm Éowyn makes landfall

Tipperary County Council’s Crisis Management Team and Severe Weather Activation Team met on Thursday to discuss Storm Éowyn and the Status Red and Orange wind warnings issued by Met Éireann.

The Status Red warning is valid in the Premier County from 6am on Friday to 11am on Friday and the Status Orange is valid from midnight Friday until 4pm on Friday evening. 

In a statement, the council said: "Public safety is paramount.

"Everyone needs to act responsibly to protect themselves and others while reducing pressure on emergency services and crews, who will be dealing with and responding to the aftermath of this extremely dangerous and destructive storm.

"Tipperary County Council urge people not to travel on Friday during the Red Weather Warning and to avoid unnecessary travel even when the red warning passes on Friday.

"The extremely strong winds will have resulted in fallen trees, power lines, damage to property, flying debris, and road blockages making driving condition dangerous.

"Council road crews will not be in a position to respond to callout from 00:00 on Friday until the end of the red warning at 11:00 Friday.

"Members of the public using the roads during this period could potentially find themselves very isolated should they get into difficulty.

"The Fire Services will only be in a position to respond to emergency calls that are deemed to be life critical.

"Council Offices and services including libraries, swimming pools and civic amenity sites will be closed to the public on Friday,  January 24. Civic Amenity sites will reopen on Saturday, January 25.

"Members of the public can contact Tipperary County Council Customer Service Desk on 0818 06 5000/6000 or a dedicated Severe Weather contact No. 0818 06 5001 on Friday 24th January from 09.00 to 22.00 and on Saturday 25th January from 09.00 to 13.00 after which calls will be transferred to the Council’s Out-of-hours contact no. 0818 06 5003.

"Members of the public can also email customerservices@tipperarycoco.ie."

The storm has the potential to be a significant and historic event that poses a serious risk to life:

➢ Extremely dangerous travelling conditions
➢ Unsafe working conditions
➢ Disruption and cancellations to transport
➢ Many fallen trees
➢ Significant and widespread power outages
➢ Impacts to communications networks
➢ Cancellation of events
➢ Structural damage
➢ Wave overtopping
➢ Coastal flooding in low-lying and exposed areas

• The Council is currently securing its construction sites and temporary roadworks sites to reduce the potential risks, and it advises the public and companies to take the same preventative measures.

• Secure anything that could blow away such as garden furniture, trampolines, flower pots etc as these could be turned into missiles in the wind. Take them indoors if possible.

• Don’t leave wheelie bins outside on footpaths or at front of houses.

• The Electricity network is expected to be severely impacted, the public are advised to prepare for the arrival of the storm including ensuring their mobile phone is fully charged to enable communication. ESB Networks is highlighting the dangers posed by fallen live wires and is advising the public and the emergency services to stay away from these fallen cables and to report such cases to it immediately. ESB Emergency Services can be contacted at 1800 372 999. The public can monitor www.PowerCheck.ie. In regards to power restoration times. Under no circumstances should anyone attempt to use chainsaws and approach fallen lines

• Monitor Met Éireann forecasts and/or visit https://www.met.ie/ for the most up to date information. Information is available across social media platforms and other news media sources.

• Uisce Éireann customers can check the website and social media channels for updates and to get in touch with any issues or concerns via their 24/7 customer care centre at 1800 278 278. The public can also sign up online to our free text alert system to get regular updates about their local supplies - see www.water.ie.”

• Members of the public are reminded to register on MapAlerter, a public emergency notification system available on the Council’s Website, where they can receive additional useful information by text and e-mail.

Further updates and advice will be issued throughout the day via local and national media and on the Council’s Facebook, Twitter pages and website.