People have been advised to stay indoors in Kerry this afternoon as a severe storm sweeping the county is damaging buildings, blowing down trees and making roads impassable.
Communities around the Killarney National Park remain cut off after a tornado-like gust blew down hundreds of trees in a sweeping arc at around 12.30 .
Power and telephone lines are also down in the area which has experienced some of the worst storms in living memory.
Kerry County Council personnel are on their way to the Muckross-Mangerton area and NPWS personnel are being asked to assist also after the gust swept through roadside forests. Hundreds of trees have been brought down.
“A significant part of the Brandon Hotel” in Tralee town centre has been blown onto Princes Street and roof tiles and building parts from several streets are being blown around Tralee, Castlegregory and other towns.
Schools are also reporting damage.
Trucks have been blown over in Camp and Ventry in West Kerry and trees are down on almost all roads throughout the county, along with power lines.
Bus, ferry and air services have been cancelled.
“Please stay indoors,” Padraig Corkery, spokesman for Kerry County Council urged.
15,000 homes are without electricity this lunchtime and phone and internet services are also out in Killarney.
The fire services in Killarney are attending the scene of an elderly care home and nursing facility at Rock Road after its roof was blown off in the past hour.
In an extraordinary scene, also in Killarney up to 100 trees have fallen in a severe gust at around 12.20pm on the main Muckross to Killarney Ring of Kerry Road, the N71 Children have been evacuated from Listellick school near Abbeydorney after the roof of their prefabricated classroom came off.
Buses were called to take away the children. There were no injuries.
Meanwhile Princes Street in Tralee is closed after part of the roof of the Brandon Hotel was swept off.
Again council spokesman Padraig Corkery has appealed to people to stay indoors and keep off the roads and streets. People have been advised to stay indoors in Kerry this lunchtime as a severe storm sweeping the county is damaging buildings and making roads impassable.