Storm Isha is a very major Atlantic storm with a very wide wind field and high energy, according to Keith Leonard, National Director for Fire and Emergency Management.
He says that in counties that are under a Status Red warning. “Probably the key safety advice in those areas is to shelter in place. Do not move around for the duration of a red warning, and hopefully it’ll have blown through by about two o’clock this morning.”
He said for other areas under a Status Orange warning there can also be dangerous conditions and the advice is to stay away from coastal areas.
“So we have a very wide wind storm, coastal conditions will be treacherous across the country. The advice to people is to stay away,” he says.
With several sporting fixtures planned for this afternoon, Mr Leonard appealed to organisers and those travelling to heed the warnings.
“Our advice to people will be take heed of the local conditions and if you need to leave early do. And for event organisers should also be aware of the local conditions and make the appropriate arrangements.
He said conditions would be significantly severe and added: “Definitely anything that goes beyond four o’clock this afternoon. You’d want to look at those very carefully but that will be up to the event organisers to make that decision.”
Asked about conditions overnight, he said: “We’re going to have really severe conditions tonight. It’s going to be trees down and electricity disruption across the country.”
He said road networks tomorrow are going to face a lot of disruption too, so school management will probably have to go into schools first thing and make their own judgement and whilst school operators will try to operate tomorrow, there may also be disruptions to school transport.
