The storm has brought widespread destruction to Northern Ireland
Thousands of homes in Northern Ireland remain without power after Storm Isha caused severe disruption.
NIE said the storm had caused widespread damage to Northern Ireland’s electricity network.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said a number of roads across Northern Ireland remain impassable on Monday.
It said between 15:30 GMT on Sunday and 02:00 on Monday officers dealt with about 600 calls related to the storm.
NIE Networks said about 40,000 customers were without power as of 07:30 on Monday.
In the Republic of Ireland, about 235,000 homes and businesses are without power according to the latest figures.
PSNI Ch Supt Davy Beck said there is “a continued risk of significant debris on the road network” and he urged “extreme caution” for road users.
‘Widespread disruption’
Colin Sykes, from the Department for Infrastructure, said it had been a “very difficult evening” with over 1,000 incidents to deal with.
“Of that 930 were reports of trees and branches down across roads, so it is widespread disruption right across the road network,” he told BBC News NI.
Image source, PA Media
The PSNI said a number of roads were impassable
He said ongoing industrial action had “disrupted our ability to provide services”.
“However, last night, given how dangerous the conditions were becoming, it was becoming increasingly difficult for us to be able to respond on the roads,” he continued.
Mr Sykes said the department had contingency plans in place including diverting other staff and using private contractors.
This means the response will be “slower”, but, he added: “We will start to work through all of the priority routes and start to unblock as much as we can.”
The managing director of Belfast International Airport, Graham Keddie, said Sunday was “tough” for its teams, but most aircraft had landed and they had returned to “virtually normal operations” on Monday.
Translink said a tree had fallen on the Lisburn train line, causing delays and disruption to the Portadown to Bangor rail line.
In County Londonderry, the PSNI said the Ballyquinn Road near Dungiven and Seacoast Road, Limavady, were closed to traffic due to fallen trees in the area causing an obstruction.
The PSNI said a multi-agency response continues to deal with the aftermath and recovery from Storm Isha and thanked the public for their “continued patience and understanding”.
A number of schools are closed on Monday. They are Nettlefield PS in Belfast, St Mary’s PS in County Tyrone, and County Down schools Killinchy PS and Meadow Bridge PS.
A yellow weather warning for high winds ends at noon on Monday after an earlier amber warning.
Another yellow warning for wind is in place from Tuesday at 16:00 until 12:00 on Wednesday.
A status yellow warning remains in place in the Republic of Ireland for counties Clare, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo until 19:00 on Monday.
Analysis: BBC News NI weather presenter Angie Phillips
It was the north, the west, as well as Killowen in County Down in the south-east that bore the brunt of the high winds.
The peak of the winds from Storm Isha occurred on Sunday evening; 80mph at Magilligan, County Londonderry 79mph at Castlederg, County Tyrone, 76mph at Killowen.
The peak of the winds has passed, but we still have a yellow warning for winds in place for Monday, currently for the morning, but I have a feeling this warning will be extended.
We could still see gusts of 50-60mph towards the north coast later on Monday, elsewhere perhaps 40-50mph, so there is still potential for disruption.
Image source, PAcemaker
Fallen trees have led to numerous road closures across NI on Sunday night
Escalated response
Claire Scullion, from NIE Networks, said at its peak 53,000 customers were without power.
“The force of the gusts and the sustained nature over several hours caused significant damage and the flying debris,” she told BBC News NI’s Good Morning Ulster programme.
“The fallen trees and the weather conditions made repairs very difficult over the night. We would say to the public, please do not approach any broken poles, overhead lines or any damaged electrical equipment.”
Image source, PA Media
A clock tower fell to the ground in Eyre Square in Galway on Sunday as the impact of Storm Isha was felt
The disruption has affected thousands of air passengers across the UK and Ireland.
Among the flights diverted from Belfast International Airport on Sunday was a plane from Bulgaria carrying a group including 19 pupils and three teachers from Mill Strand Integrated Primary School in Portrush.
Principal Philip Reid said they experienced “extreme turbulence” as the plane made two attempts to land before being diverted to Manchester.
In Belfast city centre on Sunday afternoon, police advised pedestrians to avoid the Castle Lane area.
Officers closed Castle Lane at its junction with Royal Avenue after a member of the public was struck by falling debris, requiring hospital treatment.
Pedestrians were advised to avoid Castle Lane in central Belfast on Sunday afternoon
Storm Isha marks the ninth named storm of the season, which started on 1 September, and is the first storm beginning with the letter ‘I’ since February 2016.
It follows in the wake of Storm Henk, which wreaked havoc and caused severe damage in parts of the UK in early January.
