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Easter blizzard lashes Inishowen
01.04.10
by Caoimhinn Barr, Inishowen Independent
FREEZING cold weather made an unwelcome return this
week as thousands of homes were left without power
after gale force winds and blizzards lashed
Inishowen.
More than 5,000 homes had no electricity for long
periods as the ESB struggled to repair damage to a
major line in Moville.
Worst hit areas along the Foyle from Muff to
Redcastle and Shroove saw power outages of more than
twenty hours as falling snow caused many lines to
collapse.
Moville and Greencastle customers who lost power at
10pm on Tuesday were not restored until nearly 24
hours later, at 9.15pm. |
Arctic showers battered
the Greencastle area for a sustained 15-hour period
on Tuesday in the worst snow storm for decades.
All three banks in Moville remained closed on
Wednesdays. The town’s ATM machines were also down
as residents struggled to go about their business.
Some Inishowen shops were |
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able to generate their
own electricity but many more had to close during
prolonged power outage periods.
And while some of the snow melted on warmer lower
ground, many of Inishowen’s roads were impassable.
The main route between Carn and Buncrana was
particularly treacherous.
The Brae Road area around Burnfoot lost power at 5pm
on Tuesday and its supply was still not restored at
the time of going to press yesterday evening. |
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There wasn’t much sign
of spring in Gleneely either with severe flooding on
the Carn side of the village as much of the snow and
hail melted on lower ground.
Many homes in Buncrana also saw severe disruption to
electricity supplies with ESB crews working non-stop
to repair line faults.
Areas around Quigley’s Point were extremely badly
affected as snow and hail continued to fall all
through Tuesday and yesterday.
It is understood that thousands of homes across
Inishowen were also left without a phone supply
after damage to lines with many older residents
effectively trapped in their own homes. One Buncrana
woman said she had no option but to go to bed after
the power went off at 7.30pm on Tuesday night.
Bed-ridden residents faced an uncomfortable night
too as hydraulic beds failed to work. One
Greencastle woman had to be moved in the night as a
result.
The ESB said damage to a 38kv line in Moville caused
much of the disruption. With full crews working
around the clock, they had hoped to have power
restored to all customers by lunchtime today. |
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