Storm Ophelia - General Discussion/Local reports - See MOD NOTE Post #1

maryishere · 19-10-2017 9:59pm

I know some roads though where the old trees are overhanging it for many years and its a wonder they never came down in the last few storms - it is only a matter of time before they do and God help the drivers of any cars who may be passing under them when they do.

gozunda · 19-10-2017 10:03pm

maryishere wrote: »

I know some roads though where the old trees are overhanging it for many years and its a wonder they never came down in the last few storms - it is only a matter of time before they do and God help the drivers of any cars who may be passing under them when they do.

Those trees may be locally sheltered from prevailing winds or be a tree species that are a bit more suited to local conditions. Unfortunately it is often a combination of contributing factors which result in trees falling. Contact your local authority if you believe a tree is in danger of falling ...

maryishere · 19-10-2017 10:13pm

gozunda wrote: »

Contact your local authority if you believe a tree is in danger of falling ...

lol they all fall eventually. Or are at risk from falling. I think all trees which overhang roads should be cut. If they were, those 2 unfortunate people who died on Monday would be alive now.

gozunda · 19-10-2017 10:24pm

maryishere wrote: »

lol they all fall eventually. Or are at risk from falling. I think all trees which overhang roads should be cut. If they were, those 2 unfortunate people who died on Monday would be alive now.

Some trees may fall - others will die and decay gradually and yet others will be the casulty of road improvement etc. All trees die - just as all living organisms do - but seriousley the benefits of taking down every single roadside tree or other tree that may or may not get hit by high winds is at best questionable.

Using that logic - many lives would be saved if we were all banned from driving vehicles on the basis there would be no road accidents. True - yes but realistic - no.

maryishere · 19-10-2017 10:26pm

gozunda wrote: »

Some trees may fall - others will die and decay gradually .

I propose the ones which have died and decayed naturally and which are overhanging be removed. T'would be start.

gozunda · 19-10-2017 10:47pm

maryishere wrote: »

I propose the ones which have died and decayed naturally and which are overhanging be removed. T'would be start.

As said report any trees you believe are dangerous to your local authority...

Mountainsandh · 19-10-2017 11:31pm

AMKC wrote: »

Have you insurance? That should cover any loses you made if it is much like food etc.

I do, but Mr M is reluctant to claim because he reckons our premium would go up by similar value as what we'd get ? I'd love to hear from someone who had that experience if it was worth claiming or not. I did have a good bit of meat.

Am sure the ESB and the other crews working to get the power back are working as quick as they can.

They are, and the weather is still atrocious with floods in my area today, aaand the amount of work just for our line uphill for 31 customers is huge.
Yet some people got it restored this evening, fair play to ESB.

Still, I enjoy a bout of self-pity online once in a while. I'm good at self pity

maryishere · 19-10-2017 11:46pm

gozunda wrote: »

As said report any trees you believe are dangerous to your local authority...

There are hundreds in some areas which are potentially dangerous. You might as well tell them that the houses they gave planning permission on in Ballymagash were built on a flood plain.

gozunda · 20-10-2017 12:19am

maryishere wrote: »

gozunda wrote: »

As said report any trees you believe are dangerous to your local authority...

There are hundreds in some areas which are potentially dangerous. You might as well tell them that the houses they gave planning permission on in Ballymagash were built on a flood plain.

If you genuinely believe you know of specific trees which are 'potentially dangerous"(?) what do you propose to do then?

BailMeOut · 20-10-2017 8:06am

first hand account of the storm from the Old Head of Kinsale.

Kinsale's lighthouse family: 'Monday was the scariest day of our lives'

Falcon L · 20-10-2017 3:46pm

Power just returned here in Wexford. The phone came back last night. The very little mobile coverage we normally have came back yesterday.

We've returned from the dark ages! T'was some storm though.

Looks like we got everything back on time to lose it to Brian.

Mountainsandh · 20-10-2017 6:22pm

Falcon L wrote: »

Power just returned here in Wexford.

Looks like we got everything back on time to lose it to Brian.

Same here, finally we have power ! Phew. I was so down about it this morning, facing into a power-less week-end, I hope whoever finds themselves without power this week-end has an alternative, like going to relatives or something.

retro:electro · 20-10-2017 8:22pm

All you guys without power- how did you manage? Candles etc? What did you do for food? I genuinely couldn't imagine being out of power for more than a few hours

LirW · 20-10-2017 8:31pm

We didn't have power for a few days and on top of that we just moved into the house so no generator, gas cooker or anything. We basically had bbq in the fireplace (steak was delicious!) and the very next morning we packed our stuff and went up to Dublin to my In-laws. I filled the bathtub with water and had enough in that regard but we have a little baby and didn't want to make it more difficult.

Cork Boy 53 · 20-10-2017 8:34pm

anna080 wrote: »

All you guys without power- how did you manage? Candles etc? What did you do for food? I genuinely couldn't imagine being out of power for more than a few hours

I stocked up on batteries for the radio, torches and food that didn't need to be cooked. In my case I was only without power for two days so it could have been much worse.

marno21 · 20-10-2017 11:01pm

Video from the ESB on how they are repairing their network after Hurricane Ophelia:

https://twitter.com/ESBNetworks/status/921411616125669376

37k sitll without power. 348k restored. Fair play to all involved.

Mountainsandh · 20-10-2017 11:50pm

anna080 wrote: »

All you guys without power- how did you manage? Candles etc? What did you do for food? I genuinely couldn't imagine being out of power for more than a few hours

At first I was alone with the children, I had the bathtub filled for toilets/bathroom needs, and I had lots of jars, saucepans, etc... filled in kitchen ; we rounded up every torch light, leds that we could find around the house, batteries, and candles, and only lit them when it was really dark.
I have a gaz cooker so I was ok for cooking.
For charging things, we had tried to charge in advance and saved batteries, and when the storm had abated I was able to charge at least the phone a bit in the car, but then there was no signal anyway, except for clusters of messages getting through here and there.
At that stage fridge and freezer were still ok if you didn't open them too often. I had over heated the house a bit the day before Ophelia, and it's well insulated, so we weren't too cold. The children slept with me as our place is isolated and it gets pitch dark, they were nervous of sleeping by themselves.

Then Mr M came back, and he plugged in the generator, it's a small one but enables us to a) light a fire/heat the rads (backboiler +solar, need water), b) have water (water pump), c) have one plug in the house for charging something. He has that wired for just these 3 things, but it was great.

All in all we're lucky with the generator, but I can't work it so that's only when Mr M is there, and we don't leave it on all day.

Tomorrow I have to empty the fridge and freezer, everything rotten by now.

I hated the mornings, filling toilet cistern, boiling water on hob for a cuppa, breakfast by torchlight, sink wash and getting dressed in the dark.

We all went to bed very early for the few days.

Nettle Soup · 20-10-2017 11:54pm

anna080 wrote: »

All you guys without power- how did you manage? Candles etc? What did you do for food? I genuinely couldn't imagine being out of power for more than a few hours

It's actually a really nice experience to lose power for 24 hours or so. The kids love it and you get some great "family" time. It's a great detox too. I have great memories of losing power as a child and going around with candles and torches. Torches were actually a popular Xmas present in the 70s/80s. My pen knife and torch were my most treasured possessions as a kid.

Mountainsandh · 21-10-2017 12:05am

The novelty wears off very quick.
I forgot, I have a little Roberts radio FM & long wave like the old fellows have for listening to matches and racing, it is a lifeline when phone and internet are down, for obvious practical and informative fonctions, but also psychologically, to lessen the feelings of loneliness.

Kermit.de.frog · 21-10-2017 12:37am

Don't know if already posted.

https://twitter.com/StormchaserUKEU/status/920372134135857152

pad199207 · 21-10-2017 1:12am

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Don't know if already posted.

https://twitter.com/StormchaserUKEU/status/920372134135857152

A friend of mine sent me that but I couldn’t post it here it wouldn’t let me. Have more better videos but I’m not sure how to post without putting hem on YouTube.

MadYaker · 21-10-2017 1:22am

**** me that was a big one. Was that a freak wave or part of a larger set?

jumpjack · 21-10-2017 7:04am

found a "dry" version of the place...

Tragumna beach, Cork.

[img]Dai un'occhiata al Tweet di @Accu_Jesse: https://twitter.com/Accu_Jesse/status/920007864999170048?s=09[/img]https://twitter.com/Accu_Jesse/status/920007864999170048

Falcon L · 21-10-2017 8:31am

anna080 wrote: »

All you guys without power- how did you manage? Candles etc? What did you do for food? I genuinely couldn't imagine being out of power for more than a few hours

I suppose we were lucky to have a log burner, so we were warm. I set up a gas blowtorch between two blocks and we could boil water on that. We could heat food on the top of the stove, so lots of soup and stew.

With all the information on here (thanks guys) we were well prepared. We're isolated too and it gets very dark, so we have loads of good LED torches and all the 18650 batteries were charged, as well as the Kindle. Loads of reading done.

We have a small genny which kept the fridge-freezer just about OK. It was on and off all day.

I was walking back from the post box and I spotted that the security light was on. The feeling that the power had been restored was quite surprising, really. My mood was totally turned around! I just about had enough of the dark ages.

aidanodr · 21-10-2017 12:10pm

fraxinus1 wrote: »

Just back from a lovely autumnal walk on a local hill. No storm here. No rain. Second time in a week that so called storms are meant to batter us. Seriously if this nonsense keeps up Met E will lose credibility. Ophelia.... the worst storm in 50 years? Only three southern counties got gusts over 130kmph... the rest of us got gales or a strong breeze and more hype again about Brian. It's getting silly. I suppose the schools will be closed Monday

Its all relative and depends on where you live surely?

I live near Cork City .. OPHELIA in my view totally merited a RED ALERT here. In fact I was extremely angry at business and business organisations ( by absence of informing / advising ) for not getting out message last weekend for ALL businesses in RED AREAS to not open monday morning. I mean, it was ONE DAY only and not going to be a regular event. Show duty of care to your employees.

All along the South Coast and definitely in Cork you would not have been out on your lovely autumnal walk last Monday. Just because your area is not affected does not mean its the same across the country.

AND .. on Thursday here in Cork we had serious rain and flooding, roads like rivers. BUT this, even in an area, was localized. In this case more west / south west outside the city, areas like Carrigaline, Kinsale etc.

Outside of whether Brian merits an Orange or not. It has / is dumping lots of rain down here which has big possibility of further tree falls or property damage already weakened by Ophelia. But then you may not notice this on your lovely autumnal walk where ever you may live ...

EDIT: As far as I remember, last Friday, Saturday something like 8 or 9 coastal counties were RED before whole country went red. Thats as far as it should have gone with the red maybe? Rest of country then amber/orange or yellow? However, on the other hand, on the day, who could tell how bad or not this storm would get?

BUT I still stand by my point that once an area is RED then everyone stays at home INC employees, so at minimum it keeps roads clear and does not overwhelm the emergency services if something were to happen as a result. Some directive needs to be brought in on that one I think.

fraxinus1 · 21-10-2017 12:17pm

aidanodr wrote: »

Its all relative and depends on where you live surely?

I live near Cork City .. OPHELIA in my view totally merited a RED ALERT here. In fact I was extremely angry at business and business organisations ( by absence of informing / advising ) for not getting out message last weekend for ALL businesses in RED AREAS to not open monday morning. I mean, it was ONE DAY only and not going to be a regular event. Show duty of care to your employees.

All along the South Coast and definitely in Cork you would not have been out on your lovely autumnal walk last Monday. Just because your area is not affected does not mean its the same across the country.

AND .. on Thursday here in Cork we had serious rain and flooding, roads like rivers. BUT this, even in an area, was localized. In this case more west / south west outside the city, areas like Carrigaline, Kinsale etc.

I just hate this attitude in general .. I am OK so therefore everyone else must be. What a broad sweeping assumption to make.

Outside of whether Brian merits an Orange or not. It has / is dumping lots of rain down here which has big possibility of further tree falls or property damage already weakened by Ophelia. But then you may not notice this on your lovely autumnal walk where ever you may live ...

OK so let's issue orange and red alerts every time we get normal autumn and winter gales. Seriously what did we all do before storms were named or colour coded alerts were issued? We hunkered down and showed a bit of common sense without the hysterics. I am retired but I used to work in Lifford. In 38 years at my job I never missed a day due to weather. I drove through violent winds, snowfalls and rainstorms. My children went to school and even if slaters were coming off the roof they stayed there until 3pm.

Yes Cork got a bad doing form Ophelia but 90% of the country didn't. Today it's raining heavy in some parts... it's autumn. It happens very year.

aidanodr · 21-10-2017 12:21pm

fraxinus1 wrote: »

OK so let's issue orange and red alerts every time we get normal autumn and winter gales. Seriously what did we all do before storms were named or colour coded alerts were issued? We hunkered down and showed a bit of common sense without the hysterics. I am retired but I used to work in Lifford. In 38 years at my job I never missed a day due to weather. I drove through violent winds, snowfalls and rainstorms. My children went to school and even if slaters were coming off the roof they stayed there until 3pm.

Yes Cork got a bad doing form Ophelia but 90% of the country didn't. Today it's raining heavy in some parts... it's autumn. It happens very year.

From my last post .. i edited after your reply:

EDIT: As far as I remember, last Friday, Saturday something like 8 or 9 coastal counties were RED before whole country went red. Thats as far as it should have gone with the red maybe? Rest of country then amber/orange or yellow? However, on the other hand, on the day, who could tell how bad or not this storm would get?

BUT I still stand by my point that once an area is RED then everyone stays at home INC employees, so at minimum it keeps roads clear and does not overwhelm the emergency services if something were to happen as a result. Some directive needs to be brought in on that one I think.

nagdefy · 21-10-2017 5:46pm

At my location we're well away from the areas that were hit with 130km and over gusts. Even though not as bad as a number of storms we were without electricity fom 1pm Monday til 10pm last night. So the aftermath brought a lot of hassle.