Power is out in a number of areas of the county this lunch time as Ex Hurricane Ophelia is making its presence felt.
Electricity is gone around Clonaslee and in the Abbeyleix-Rathdowney direction.
The storm – which has was flagged ahead of time by authorities as the most serious weather event to hit Ireland since 1961 – has Status Red and schools, public transport, An Post, shops, court services, pharmacies, outpatient clinics and driving test centres have all shut down.
Businesses were advised this morning by Laois County Council to close up and send their staff home.
While a number of businesses announced yesterday that they wouldn’t be opening today, a number opened as normal this morning and then closed between 11 and 12 for the remainder of the day.
The storm has already claimed its first life – a woman in her 20s killed in Waterford after her car was struck by a tree. The incident occurred in Aglish on the R671 at about noon. A female passenger in her mid 50s was also injured and has been taken to Waterford Regional Hospital.
Gardai say they are urging all road users to stay indoors and not travel unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Met Éireann issued a nationwide red weather warning last night and the National Emergency Coordination Group are pleading with people to stay safe, indoors if they can and not to take any unnecessary risks.
The Status Red weather warning was extended to the entire country yesterday evening, after originally just been for the counties on the south and west coast.
Speaking on yesterday’s weather forecast, meteorologist Joanna Donnelly told viewers “this is not the remnants of a hurricane – this is a hurricane”.
Employers have also been urged to give their employees guidance how working arrangements have been affected in light of the national red warning.
A red level weather warnings indicates that people take action to protect themselves and/or their properties; this could be by moving their families out of the danger zone temporarily; by staying indoors; or by other specific actions aimed at mitigating the effects of the weather conditions. It is the highest level of alert Met Eireann can issue.
Laois County Council issued advice to people in the county on Sunday afternoon as how to best protect themselves and their homes.
You can keep track of all the updates from around the county and beyond today.
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