17 October 2017, 1pm
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Cork County Council has received almost 600 calls in relation to fallen trees throughout Cork. Council crews were dispatched yesterday as soon as it was safe to do so and again this morning at first light. Over 300 Council staff, 60 tree surgeons, and 100 tractors/JCBs are working to clear fallen trees and associated debris in order to make roads passable again.
All National Roads were made passable as of yesterday evening. The Council continues to clear fallen trees and debris from Regional and Local Roads. The vast majority of Regional roads are passable. Work is still ongoing on the R880 at Western Road Clonakilty, on the R594 Skibbereen to Caheragh road, and on the R627 at Brookfield East/West Park in Midleton. The Council is engaging with ESB Networks and Eir in terms of attending to fallen power lines and cabling. Cork County Council continues to urge motorists to exercise care and to watch out for overhanging lines, branches etc.
Electricity outages are causing interruption to water supplies in some locations. Generators have been deployed in order to sustain continuity of water supplies in Cobh and Youghal. The Council continues to work with both Irish Water and ESB Networks in relation to the restoration of water supplies where interruptions have taken place. These are prioritised in order of population served. We are also working to ensure restoration of supplies in Kinsale and Charleville. Customers with water service queries should contact Irish Water on 1850 278 278.
The Council is also undertaking an examination of the impacts on coastal infrastructure including piers, harbours, and pontoons.
All Cork County Council offices are open today. However, some offices and depots have been affected by power outages (a total of 88 no. council sites are currently without power). This has resulted in difficulties by the public in contacting some of our offices. The Council’s emergency line remains open so should you have an incident that you wish to report, please contact 021 4800048.
Further updates will be posted on Cork County Council’s twitter page @CorkCoCo and website at www.CorkCoCo.ie.
Matters are being monitored and responded to on an ongoing basis and regular updates will follow.
