Emergency services in Co Mayo were this morning working to clear a landslide that blocked a road, encircled homes and damaged two bridges after hours of heavy overnight rain.
The incident closed a two-mile section of coast road 10 miles from the seaside town of Belmullet, cutting off up to 100 people and demolishing an empty house.
Thousands of tonnes of shifting mountainside earth from Dooncarton Mountain engulfed the roadway up to seven feet deep in places, surrounding and isolating up to 25 houses in the area of the landslip close to the village of Pollathomas.
The local cemetery was among areas damaged. The landslide came after several hours of torrential rain, but no one was injured.
A coastguard helicopter, fire service and civil defence personnel, police and teams of Mayo County Council council staff were involved in the clear-up operation at the scene.
Gardai urged motorists to stay away from the affected area.