The married couple were in their Mayobridge home with their son when the pole fell at about 10pm in winds of up to 75mph, causing a fire which gutted the property.

There was smoke and water damage in an adjoining property which housed two other pensioners. All the victims were brought to Daisy Hill Hospital but have since been discharged.

Sean O’Hare, a neighbour, saw what happened.

“The flashing and sparking came from all over and it was just like a fireworks display for a time,” he told UTV.

“Then I saw the electric wires down on top of the two houses out front here. I was in shock for a while then I got the emergency services on my mobile and called the fire brigade.”

Local MLA Karen McKevitt said: “There were two families at home at the time but thank goodness they got out safely and after treatment they are now back with their families.”

Heavy rain and winds swept across the southern and eastern counties of Northern Ireland on Thursday night, causing damage to powerlines and felling trees – with 2,000 homes still cut off from supply.

Canal St and part of Merchant’s Quay in Newry have been closed to vehicles and pedestrians due to falling debris from buildings in the area.

— PSNI (@PoliceServiceNI) December 27, 2013

Northern Ireland Electricity said its engineers have been working throughout Friday to restore power but warned that, due to the extent of the damage, some isolated customers may remain without overnight while repairs are carried out.

Communications Manager Julia Carson said: “NIE will doing everything possible to restore power to customers in worst affected areas as soon as possible. Customers may wish to contact NIE on 08457 643 643 this evening for a further update.”

There were a number of road closures across the region throughout Friday due to fallen trees, power lines and BT lines, but these have now been cleared.

The Roads Service said: “There are also reports of small branches and debris on many roads, and road users are advised to exercise extreme caution when travelling on all roads today.”

Buildings have also been badly damaged by the storm, with one house in the Victoria Road area of Holywood, Co Down, wrecked by a fallen tree. A small fire was dealt with overnight by the Fire Service after a sign was blown over on the roof of a shop at the Buttercrane Centre in Newry.

Meanwhile police warned members of the public to take care in Newry due to falling debris from derelict buildings.

The Met Office has a yellow warning for wind and rain in place until 11.55pm on Friday.

Forecasters said: “The public should be aware of the potential for disruption, especially where the high winds are combined with heavy rainfall. Please watch for possible updates to this warning, especially those who have travel plans.”

Some flights at Belfast City Airport and Dublin Airport were affected on Thursday evening and the airports have advised passengers to check their websites for the latest.

Belfast International Airport took a Ryanair diversion from Dublin on Friday. It said passengers on the Edinburgh flight will complete their journey by coach.

The diverted Ryanair from Edinburgh with 159 passengers. pic.twitter.com/44F0Er5QgF

— Belfast Airport (@BELFASTAIRPORT) December 27, 2013

The M1 motorway in Belfast has been reopened following the removal of fallen trees while the Foyle Bridge has been opened to all vehicles with a 30mph speed limit in place.

Friday’s crossings to Rathlin Island off the Co Antrim coast have been cancelled.

A statement from PO Ferries said its sailings resumed at 10.30am but warned passengers to expect delays due to a backlog.

Across the island, the gales have brought down power lines cutting electricity to almost 75,000 people in Northern Ireland and the Republic at the peak of the problems.

ESB Networks said electricity was restored to more than 35,000 homes overnight.

A statement added: “We hope to restore supply to all customers today, however some damage may require more extensive construction work to be carried out and we are assessing the situation and will give further updates later. We will also be redeploying crews from areas less affected to help those locations experiencing more extensive damage.”

An orange wind warning is in place for Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal, with a stormy afternoon ahead and gusts of up to 130km/hr. There is also a danger of coastal flooding.

Dublin, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Wicklow, Offaly, Westmeath, Meath, Leitrim and Sligo are also on orange alert, while Munster, Wexford, Galway, Mayo and Roscommon have a yellow wind warning for gusts of up to 110km/hr.