As many as ten cattle have been killed following a lightning strike in Co Clare.
The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon at Dunlicky on the coast road near Kilkee in the west of the county.
Met Éireann had issued a weather alert for most of the country warning of thunderstorms and torrential downpours in areas with a risk of hail and localised flooding.
A passer-by, driving along the scenic Dunlicky Road cliff drive, reported seeing several animals lying in a field with their ‘legs in the air.’
A number of poeple who had been fishing at a popular local fishing spot also ran for their cars the thunderstorm moved in over the area. Locals reported several claps of thunder and a lot of lightning.
It’s understood the animals died in one of the many lightning strikes that had been reported in the area during the early afternoon.
In August last year, eight in-calf heifers were electrocuted after being struck by lightning during a ferocious storm in Moneygall on the Tipperary/Offaly border.
Last month, a family in Co Limerick had a lucky escaped after their home was struck by lightning and caught fire. Gardaà on duty at a Covid-19 checkpoint nearby ran to assist the family.
Fire crews spent several hours dealing with the blaze at the property at Kilbehenny. A large section of the roof was extensively damaged in the incident.