The Civil Defence will be on standby as the country prepares for Storm Lorenzo

THE CIVIL DEFENSE will be on standby, as Ireland braces itself for the potential impacts of Storm Lorenzo.

The news was announced at a meeting of The Government’s emergency task force, The National Emergency Coordination Group, who met to discuss contingency measures for the approaching storm.

The meeting, which was chaired by Minister Eoghan Murphy, was held this Tuesday afternoon.

Met Éireann has said that Lorenzo is “a large and powerful hurricane” but that it should weaken as it passes the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean.

Current forecasts by Met Éireann indicate that Storm Lorenzo will move across the country during Thursday night into Friday morning, moving West to East across the country, potentially bringing strong winds, rain and the threat of coastal flooding.

The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) Crisis Management Team has been meeting daily and working with Met Éireann, local authorities and other government departments and agencies since Friday to review the storm and its predicted trajectory and intensity.

The NDFEM contacted all local authorities on Monday, advising them to activate their severe weather assessment teams and Local Coordination arrangements.

Local authorities, who are the lead agency for the response to severe weather, have activated their crisis management teams and the Department of Transport has activated its crisis weather plans, with crews ready and on standby to deal with any potential difficulties posed by the storm.

The ESB has taken action and is ready to mobilise responses to restore power once the impact of the storm is known.

The HSE has also activated its crisis management teams and has issued messages to service users and staff to minimise any potential impact on services.

The Department of Housing Planning and Local Government have put preparations in place and are in contact with all local authorities and are providing additional beds in outreach centres for rough sleepers in preparation.

Civil Defence personnel are on standby to assist where required.