A deluge of rain and strong winds has led to travel chaos and event closures as Storm Darragh hits Northern Ireland.
Power cuts, blocked roads, suspended trains and cancelled flights are some of the impacts currently being felt.
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Motorway closed due to insecure roof
Roads blocked by fallen trees
All train services suspended until further notice
What weather warnings are in place on Saturday?
Flight cancellations
Bus services suspended in Coleraine
Motorway closed due to insecure roof
Elsewhere, the A2 is now closed between Kilkeel and Rostrevor due to a fallen tree.
Titanic Museum and Titanic Hotel access impacted
Belfast International warns “delays to be expected”
Another local football match postponed
A pitch inspection at the Oval ahead of Glentoran vs Ballymena United is coming up at 10.30am.
More bus services suspended
Good news – some power is coming back!
NIE have warned that the process of restoring all impacted customers may last into Sunday – but it’s good news for some at least.
A2 reopened
Roads blocked by fallen trees
The police have urged the public to “consider essential travel only”.
The full list of blocked roads is:
Belfast
- Upper Springfield Road closed at Monagh Bypass – Fallen tree
- Falls Road closed at La Salle Drive in both directions – Fallen trees
- Malone Road near the House of Sport – Fallen trees
- Castle Street – Fallen cables
- Dromore Road closed at Moira Road, Hillsborough – Fallen tree
- Ballygowan Road Comber closed – Fallen tree
- A505 Omagh – Cookstown Road has a high volume of fallen trees and is closed to traffic
- Tullycullion Rd1 Mullaghmore Rd – fallen tree
- Castlecaulfield Rd1 Foygh Rd – fallen tree
- Drumreany Rd2 Killyharry Rd -fallen tree
- Old Ballygawley Rd2 Ballygawley Rd – fallen tree
- Police reporting multiple trees on the Ballyclare Road area of Templepatrick heading towards the M2 Belfast bound. Please exercise caution.
- Cullybackey Road closed at Sand Road – Fallen tree
- A8(M) between Sandyknowes roundabout towards Corrs Corner closed – Fallen tree
- Wellington Avenue
- Browndod Road
- Lower Cairncastle Road
- Upper Cairncastle Road
- Shaneshill Road/Ballymena Road
- Straidkilly Road, Glenarm
- Molyneaux Avenue
- Ballystrudder Road
- Bay Park
- Main Road, Glynn
- Shore Road, Magheramorne
- Pettigo Road, Kesh: Fallen electricity pole
Latest on sport disruption
Busses suspended from Ballymena
PSNI at scene of serious crash
Now 46k without power
Some may remain without power until Sunday due to the volume of disruptions to the network.
NIE said: “Due to the number of faults we are currently experiencing on the network, we are unable to provide an estimated restoration time for your electricity supply at this time. We are working to restore supplies as quickly and safely as possible.”
A spokesperson added: “Hundreds of extra staff have been brought in to help reinforce our normal capability. Our Incident Management Centre at Craigavon has been opened, as have our Local Incident Centres which are in locations across Northern Ireland and used by our teams to co-ordinate our localised response.
A2 closed due to fallen tree
Merseyside Derby postponed
In the NI Football League, there are pitch inspections later this morning ahead of:
- Dundela vs Institute
- Knockbreda vs Lisburn Distillery
- Tobermore United vs Oxford Sunnyside
Reminder: Belfast Christmas Market closed today
The Enchanted Winter Garden in Antrim is also closed today “to ensure the safety of visitors, staff, and performers”. All tickets will be automatically refunded.
All train services suspended until further notice
- All trains out of Belfast Grand Central subject to delay
- All Goldliner bus services suspended until further notice
- All 300/a services to Belfast International and X2 to Dublin suspended
- All coastal bus services (140a/b and 402) suspended
- Enterprise services from Dublin will terminate in Dundalk this morning
Belfast bus crashes into building overnight
Flight and ferry update
There are currently no reports of flight cancellations at Belfast International.
All Stena Line ferries due to sail from Belfast to Cairnryan – and vice versa – have thus far been cancelled on Saturday, apart from the 7.30pm and the 11.30pm routes.
The Liverpool-Belfast ferries have also been cancelled.
The Strangford ferry has also been suspended.
What weather warnings are in place on Saturday?
Gusts of up to 70 to 80mph are expected around coastal areas while inland winds could reach 60 to 70mph.
Damage to buildings is possible with the potential for roofs to be blown off and power lines to be brought down.
There is the potential for disruption to roads and public transport and the Met Office has also said that “flying debris and falling trees could result in a danger to life”.
A yellow warning for rain is also still in place until 12 noon today, with the slight chance that homes and buildings may flood, while a yellow warning for wind lasts right through until 6am on Sunday.
Watch: Belfast Charity launch annual appeal and ‘Christmas Jumper Day’