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Flooding havoc as Storm Jonas batters country with 110 kmh gales

Toft car park in in Salthill as Storm Jonas hits the West coast. Photo: Andrew Downes Expand
Cars destroyed in Toft car park in the flooding in Salthill as storm Jonas hits the West coast. Photo: Andrew Downes Expand
Cars destroyed in Toft car park in the flooding in Salthill as storm Jonas hits the West coast. Photo: Andrew Downes Expand
2.23pm today, the moment the sea at Malahide estuary started to swallow parked cars. Photo: Paul Larkin Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand
A man struggling through the torrential rain in Castlebar yesterday. Photo: Paul Mealey Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand
Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand

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Toft car park in in Salthill as Storm Jonas hits the West coast. Photo: Andrew Downes

Toft car park in in Salthill as Storm Jonas hits the West coast. Photo: Andrew Downes

Cars destroyed in Toft car park in the flooding in Salthill as storm Jonas hits the West coast. Photo: Andrew Downes

Cars destroyed in Toft car park in the flooding in Salthill as storm Jonas hits the West coast. Photo: Andrew Downes

Cars destroyed in Toft car park in the flooding in Salthill as storm Jonas hits the West coast. Photo: Andrew Downes

Cars destroyed in Toft car park in the flooding in Salthill as storm Jonas hits the West coast. Photo: Andrew Downes

2.23pm today, the moment the sea at Malahide estuary started to swallow parked cars. Photo: Paul Larkin

2.23pm today, the moment the sea at Malahide estuary started to swallow parked cars. Photo: Paul Larkin

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

A man struggling through the torrential rain in Castlebar yesterday. Photo: Paul Mealey

A man struggling through the torrential rain in Castlebar yesterday. Photo: Paul Mealey

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

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Toft car park in in Salthill as Storm Jonas hits the West coast. Photo: Andrew Downes

Caroline Crawford and David Kearns

Thousands of homes have been left without power as high winds caused by Storm Jonas battered the ESB’s electrical network earlier today.

The majority of the areas hit are in the south and south-west of Ireland, with Munster the worse affected region.

Some 604 homes in Bandon in southern Cork are without power, while in the town of Curraleigh ESB crews are working to restore power to another 194 properties.

There are also 239 homes in Milltown in Kerry suffering faults.

To the north in Limerick and Clare, there are 200 sites without power in Kilshanny and Garryspillane.

While the Westmeath, there is another 126 homes affected power outages.

Speaking to Independent.ie, a spokesperson for ESB Networks said that “much of the faults were caused by Storm Jonas”.

“We’ve been seeing very heavy hits in these areas so its not surprising they’re suffering outages .

“We should have the majority of affected areas restored later this afternoon.”

Many of the homes without power are in areas that Met Éireann warned would be hit hard by the arrival of Storm Jonas.

The country has been bracing itself for a deluge and strong gale force wind since it was announced that the tail end of the powerful storm front would reach Ireland this week.

Exposed coastal communities along the west and south coasts would take the brunt of the winds, the forecaster warned.

On Monday, Met Éireann issued a yellow weather warning for Wexford, Galway, Mayo, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Waterford, saying that these areas are at risk of coastal flooding and high winds until at least 2pm this afternoon.

A second status yellow wind for the entire country, this time for warning, is due to remain in effect until 3pm today, with gusts of 110kmh experienced in some regions.

Further strong winds and rain are expected to follow later this evening, with another front making its way towards the west coast tomorrow.

Following a trail of misery in the United States, where the blizzard has killed at least 35 people, Storm Jonas is expected to cause unsettled weather until Friday afternoon – whereby conditions will improve.

While the weather is not expected to deteriorate to the conditions seen in December, local authorities remain on standby.

Elsewhere, motorists who had left their cars in Salthill’s Toft carpark in Galway overnight returned to find them under several feet of water this morning.

A map of the expected rainfall in Ireland for Tuesday Credit: Met Éireann Expand

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A map of the expected rainfall in Ireland for Tuesday Credit: Met Éireann

A map of the expected rainfall in Ireland for Tuesday Credit: Met Éireann

A map of the expected rainfall in Ireland for Tuesday Credit: Met Éireann

The carpark which is prone to flooding was one of the first areas impacted by Storm Jonas’ approach, with over a dozen cars badly affected.

A second carpark on Salthill promenade was also underwater in the early hours of this morning.

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning Expand

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Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Commuters struggling in the wind and rain in Clontarf earlier this morning

Gardaí have warned motorists in Galway to take exercise extreme caution on coastal roads due to flooding and dangerous gusts.

Earlier today AA Roadwatch reported that many routes into Dublin City centre and other main hubs were moving very slowly due to a heavy build up of traffic.

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