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Travel on schedule after NI faced high winds

Catherine Moore
BBC News NI
PA Media A blue and white P&O ferry in the sea. A large wave is crashing against the back. There are large waves in the water. PA Media
A number of ferry crossings were cancelled due to high winds

Ferry and flight passengers faced travel disruption on Friday morning due to high winds.

Two yellow wind warnings were issued by the Met Office - one for Friday until 13:00 GMT and another for Sunday.

Sailings from Belfast and Larne with Stena Line and P&0 Ferries, and Strangford Lough ferry services were cancelled on Friday morning but have since resumed.

A number of flights from Belfast City Airport are also now departing after having been cancelled.

Friday's wind warning covered mainly the eastern counties.

Gusts up to 65mph (104km/h) made their way across the Irish Sea and North Channel coasts and gale force gusts are also likely inland for parts of counties Antrim, Armagh and Down.

The second warning comes into force on Sunday and affects the whole of Northern Ireland, with the peak likely to be through the late morning into the early afternoon.

It will be in force for 12 hours from 03:00 GMT.

Highest gusts up to 70mph (112km/h) are expected towards Irish Sea coasts with some coastal routes being affected by large waves.

Flooding on Glenshane Road

PSNI Causeway Coast and Glens The Glenshane Road in Dungiven covered in flood water. a car sits to the right in front of flood waterPSNI Causeway Coast and Glens
The Glenshane Road in Dungiven was closed to traffic earlier due to flooding near a quarry

The Glenshane Road has just been reopened in both directions between Dungiven and Maghera after an earlier land slide, the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has said.

Transport company Translink said bus services between Londonderry and Belfast were now operating as normal after earlier diversions via Garvagh and Swatragh.

However, passengers should however expect some "knock-on" delay and disruption to services, the company added.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have received several reports of telegraph poles and trees down across the Ards and North Down policing district, especially in coastal areas.

Road users have been asked to avoid the Pettigo Road, Kesh, due to fallen trees, which have blocked the road.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Electricity Networks is dispatching teams to deal with power cuts across the country.

There are about 2,000 customers without electricity with many of the outages relating to a single fault.

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