Dramatic Footage Of Storm Blowing The Roof Off School In Cork

Hurricane Ophelia is two words that are set to become the most Googled search term in Irish history.

Up and down the country social media users are beginning to share what is set to be the biggest storm to hit Ireland since Storm Debbie in 1961.

Footage has emerged of the roof of Douglas Community School in Cork being thrown into the air by strong winds:

Animals are known for being able to sense extreme weather conditions and this footage from of birds preparing for the hurricane is nerve inducing:

The South of Ireland was hit by the storm first and already counties such as Kerry and Cork are sharing some of the damage caused by the storm. At 7.30am Kerry's Dingle began to feel the first signs of the hurricane.

The first signs of the carnage outside started appearing online at 9 am this morning:

Met Eireann have shared this footage from the top of Roches Point

More trees are falling in Cork with warnings coming from Cork Safety Alerts:

and footage of the strength of the winds, which are expected to reach 130 km/h, in the next few hours:

The streets of Kinsale are covered in debris as roofs and structures have begun to fall:

People are going to extreme lengths to protect their belongings:

It is estimated that 200,000 people are now without power in the Southern tips of the country so may not know the full extent of the damage until tomorrow.

The storm is raging against the West coast of Cork and flooding is envitable at this point:

The East coast is beginning to be impacted by the storm and Dublin Fire Brigade are warning civilians to tighten their windows:

If you don't already need reminding, do not leave your home or make unnecessary journeys.