Northern Ireland is dealing with a big problem after a big storm named Debi arrived with powerful winds and heavy rain. This storm, starting early on Monday, closed roads, messed up public transportation, and left many people without power.
Roads and Transport Are a Mess
A lot of roads are still closed in Northern Ireland because of fallen trees and other damage from the storm. Ballymena had to close some roads, and there’s a part of the A2 Coast Road in Glenarm, County Antrim, that’s blocked because of a landslip. The A22 Killyleagh Road in Downpatrick is also closed at Quoile Bridge because of damage from the storm.
Public transportation, like buses and trains, is running late. The bus station in Lisburn had to shut down because of the storm. The police shared a picture of a crash on the M1 near junction 14 but said no one got hurt.
No Power and Wild Weather
Around 2,000 people in Northern Ireland, especially in places like Craigavon, Newry, and Downpatrick, don’t have electricity. Some areas got a lot of rain, with Glennane in County Armagh getting 22mm by 09:00 GMT. The wind blew really fast, with the speed reaching 73mph (113km/h) in Killowen, County Down.
Trouble in Local Services
Storm Debi caused problems in Newry, Mourne, and Down District Council. Things like picking up household trash are delayed, and five parks in the district are closed until things get better.
Republic of Ireland Also Hit
The Republic of Ireland, especially County Galway, had a tough time with flooding from Storm Debi. There was a lot of damage in places, and some businesses might need up to €1 million for fixing things.
Ronan Henningan, who owns a supermarket in Clarinbridge, County Galway, talked about how strong the flood was. It moved big ovens and knocked down walls, causing a lot of damage.
Asking for Help from the Government
People affected by the floods in Ireland are asking the government for money to help them get things back to normal. Ronan Henningan from Clarinbridge wants the Irish government to support those who had trouble because of the storm.
Weather Service Information
The Irish weather service, called Met Éireann, measured a strong wind of 115km/h (71mph) in Athenry, County Galway. People are now talking about what they can do to stop floods like this from happening again.
Stopping Floods Next Time
Communities dealing with the aftermath of Storm Debi are thinking about how to stop big floods in the future. People and local leaders might work together, and the government could help too. Learning about storms, making things stronger, and telling people early about bad weather could all be part of the plan to make sure storms don’t cause such big problems again.