Press release
Statement from the National Emergency Coordination Group (NECG) 12.00 hrs Sat 3 March
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
The NECG met this morning to review the severe weather situation and was joined by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Minister Eoghan Murphy, Minister Damien English and Minister Shane Ross.
This has been an exceptionally severe period of weather with the extent and severity on a par with the big snows of 1947, 1962/63 and most recently 1982. Storm Emma and the very heavy snowfalls it brought since Thursday evening are greatly diminished. While there may be some further snow showers today, our Met Eireann colleagues tell us that warmer air brought by Storm Emma displaced the Siberian air which has produced very low temperatures since the beginning of this week.
Met Éireann has updated their weather warnings at 06.00hrs this morning. An ORANGE level weather warning is in place for Munster, Leinster, Cavan and Monaghan, primarily because of widespread treacherous surfaces due to ice and snow on the ground.
Most of Leinster and Munster from Meath, Kildare, Dublin, Wicklow Carlow, Wexford, Waterford Kilkenny Tipperary has been deeply covered in snow with very significant drifts in many places.
As the thaw sets in, conditions are and will remain very difficult and the public are advised to continue to exercise high levels of caution for their own safety if out and about in the accumulated snow and icy conditions.
Those who are cut off by the very large drifts keep in touch by phone with friends and family. Farming community with 4 x 4 tractors have helped greatly and continue to do this
There are variations in storm impacts across the country. Work is going on to ensure that emergency services can operate in areas where conditions are worst.
Local authorities, TII and public transport operators are working to open the principal road networks and to get public transport operating again. The motorway network is largely open despite challenging conditions overnight. Some other primary routes are having difficulties and many regional and minor roads remain impassable.
Public transport will begin to become operational again today, and some services, particularly in the North and West, have recommenced. Dublin Bus has recommenced a limited service, with more expected to return this afternoon as local conditions allow. Airports are generally open, but some flights are subject to cancellations and delay.
Local coordination committees in every county are working to manage the situation locally and to begin restoration of services where possible. The impacts are varied around the country, with the south, east and midlands continuing to be the worst affected. In other counties, road and footpath clearance is underway, with local authorities and their contractors, assisted by the Defence Forces in areas.
ESB Networks are dealing with a series of faults on the network and are endeavouring to restore supply in affected areas. The number of customers out of service was reduced from 30,000 yesterday evening to under 20,000 today. Subject to access ESB Networks hopes to restore service to the bulk of remaining customers over the next 24 to 36 hours.
About 10,000 customers remain without water supply. 16,000 are on boil water notices but it should be noted that this includes 13,000 customers of the Lough Talt scheme who were on a boil water notice before the adverse weather.
Some smaller schemes are encountering some problems and Irish Water are appealing to customers to conserve water.
Outreach teams report that there were less than ten rough sleepers that refused to avail of shelter last night. These individuals were closely monitored overnight.
Met Eireann are advising that rain will begin to spread from the south today. This indicates a rise in temperatures and the melting process will proceed gradually and more rapidly in urban areas.
Melting snow in smaller upland catchments with steep profiles have the potential to cause flooding.
As well as the potential for main rivers flooding, melting snow will cause problems in all sorts of areas with drains, streams and culverts likely to overflow and we advise householders and business to watch the thaw process carefully and be ready to react.
The high tide advisory issued earlier in the week remains in place until Monday. High tide this morning passed on the south coast, with no flooding in Cork. Afternoon tide today on East Coast is being monitored and the safety advice to the public is to stay away from the coast for the 2 hour period either side of high tides.
ENDS