STRONG WINDS and high tides led to flooding, power shortages and flight cancellations yesterday in the south and southwest, with emergency services last night bracing themselves for another night of stormy conditions.
Met Éireann said most of Ireland avoided serious damage from storms yesterday. But it said a second storm due to hit Ireland this afternoon and centred to the north of the country may result in further severe conditions in areas which escaped the worst of the weather yesterday.
The River Suir burst its banks in Waterford city yesterday, causing flooding on Scotch Quay and Williams Street.
Flooding was also reported on the N25 Waterford-to-Wexford road along the Quays in New Ross. Drivers were warned to be aware of fallen trees throughout the country.
There were delays to flights at some of the State's airports and some flights were cancelled.
The Ryanair flight to Shannon from East Midlands was cancelled, as were British Airways flights due at 11.40am and 1.15pm and BMI flights due at 12.35pm and 6.30pm from to Heathrow to Dublin.
Strong winds on Sunday night led to the Grimaldi car carrier, MV Grande Scandanavia, breaking her moorings at the Ringaskiddy Deepwater Quay at around 11pm. The 55,000-tonne ship was carried across the basin before getting stuck on a mudbank.
A second ship, the MV Cemvale, which transports cement, also broke her moorings in strong winds and rough seas at the deepwater quay in Ringaskiddy but she was later towed by tug back to the quayside and made secure.
Heavy winds also led to a number of trees being knocked in north Cork. The Mallow-Mitchelstown and Mallow-Fermoy roads were briefly obstructed as local landowners, along with council staff and gardaí, worked to clear them late on Sunday night.
The strong southeasterly winds combined with high tides to prevent the River Lee disgorging into the harbour yesterday morning, and there was flooding in low-lying areas of the city at about 8am at high tide.
Meanwhile, the ESB reported that some 400 homes in Fermoy were without power from Sunday night until yesterday at lunch hour due to a fallen power line, while some 1,000 homes around Killarney in Co Kerry were without power for four hours in the afternoon.
The strong winds, which according to Met Éireann at Cork Airport were gusting to almost 65 knots per hour, led to major disruption at the airport, with six flights being diverted and a further 14 cancelled.
Met Éireann said the worst-hit areas in Britain and Ireland yesterday were across Munster, Wales and the south of England, all of which were battered by storm-force winds and heavy rain as the "eye" of the storm settled over Leinster and Ulster, and a similar lattitude in Britain.
Forecaster Aidan Nulty said conditions in the centre - or eye - of the storm were not as severe as those at the fringes and much of Ireland had benefited "as this storm had a very big eye".
Severe sea conditions were experienced in deep water but not in Dublin Bay where Dublin City Council had made plans to close off seaside walks, carparks and roads in the Sandymount area at full tide, which was expected at around lunchtime.
The council also delivered sandbags to the Ringsend and Clontarf areas but by 2pm it was clear the high tide was not going to cause expected levels of damage.
Met Éireann said although winds had abated in the middle of the country, they did hit speeds of 50-60kph and gusts of up to 100-140kph in the south which were classed as "severe weather".
