Storm force!
Friday, 6 January 2012
STRONG winds wreaked havoc along the north coast on Tuesday battering buildings, blowing tiles off roofs and indeed in some cases blowing roofs completely off!
Portstewart Primary School had its roof blown off into the playground while access to Coleraine town centre via New Row was cut off to pedestrians and traffic because of strewn debris from the early morning storms causing substantial damage to some shops.
The Met Office issued a warning for gusts of up to 90mph, and indeed, the morning commute around Ballymoney, in particular along the Frosses Road, as many returned to work after the festive period was hampered by blocked roads as a result of fallen trees. The Newbridge Road between Ballymoney and Coleraine was described as an obstacle course, with tress and branches lying on the dual carriageway, however, by late afternoon roads were reopening having been cleared.
A tree was down on the busy Frocess Road near Ballymoney around 7am and Inspector David Anderson of Ballymoney PSNI said a vehicle collided with it but there were no reports of any injuries. The inspector said a tree was also down at Drumahiskey Road, Balnamore.
A DRD Roads Service spokesperson said: "A couple of branches fell onto or near the A26 Frosses Road, Ballymoney, within a 3km section south of Ballymoney and were cleared by 0630hrs this morning.
“A small branch was cleared from the A26 Newbridge Road, Ballymoney, south of a dual carriageway section, around 0700hrs this morning and minor branches were cleared from the B62 Ballybogy Road, Ballymoney - near Ballybogy before 0930hrs.
“No major disruption was caused to the travelling public."
Residents in Coleraine and Ballymoney were those most badly affected in the province by power cuts because of fallen electricity lines and poles, with as many as 10,000 homes in Northern Ireland without power. Some were still without electricity on
Ferry sailings were also affected with the Rathlin Ferry cancelled.
The Christmas tree, or rather trees, in Ballymoney really has had it rough this Christmas. Last month the original one had to be replaced after an earlier spell of stormy weather and it's replacement had an early demise when Tuesday morning's winds snapped it in two!
A spokesperson for Ballymoney Borough Council said the tree was remove for safety reasons. It broke about half way down around 3am and fell across the road. The electricity supply had to be turned off, but no damage was caused, and the tree was removed.
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