Travel plans are being hit hard as Storm Darragh sweeps the island.
The M1 citybound around Lisburn is experiencing gridlock due to a ongoing high winds. The PSNI says: “The M1 Eastbound from junction six to three is closed due to an insecure roof of a premises in the area this morning, Saturday 7th December. Motorists are advised to avoid the area.”
Trains and some bus services in Northern Ireland have been suspended until further notice as Storm Darragh hit the island of Ireland.
Read more: Storm Darragh LIVE: Latest updates as high winds continue to batter region
Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) said about 48,000 customers were without power on Saturday morning following a night of high winds causing “widespread” damage to the network with broken overhead power lines, fallen trees across lines and broken poles.
A number of roads, including Castle Street in Belfast city centre, were closed on Saturday morning while clean up work was carried out after storm damage. The Met Office has issued an amber warning to 9pm on Saturday.
Public transport company Translink said on social media: “Due to poor weather conditions all Goldliner services (including Dublin/@DublinAirport and @BelfastAirport buses) and rail services (including Enterprise services) are suspended until further notice.”
In the Republic of Ireland, almost 400,000 customers are without power.
Some events in Northern Ireland, including two Irish League football clashes and a planned vigil in Belfast for the women of Afghanistan have been called off, while the Apprentice Boys of Derry Shutting of the Gates event in Derry is set to go ahead.
The Belfast Christmas Market is not expected to open on Saturday, depending on weather conditions, with organisers saying they need to ensure visitors and traders are kept safe.
On Saturday morning, NIE Networks said high winds brought by Storm Darragh have caused widespread damage to the electricity network in Northern Ireland. They said approximately 48,000 customers were without power, and that number could continue to rise.
Repair work is expected to continue at least into Sunday, with continuing high wind speeds hampering restoration efforts. A spokesperson for NIE Networks said hundreds of extra staff have been brought in.
“Our Incident Management Centre at Craigavon has been opened, as have our Local Incident Centres which are in locations across Northern Ireland and used by our teams to co-ordinate our localised response,” they said.
“We have mobilised additional call agents to deal with any queries customers may have regarding the repair process in their area.
“We would like to remind customers that if they should experience a power cut they can report the fault online at www.nienetworks.co.uk or call the NIE Networks Customer Helpline on 03457 643 643. Customers can also follow us on social media for regular updates.”
Click this link or scan the QR code to receive breaking news and top stories from Belfast Live. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
English (United States)