North braced for gales as three die in Ireland
PM talks to Irish leader to offer any assistance necessary
YORKSHIRE WAS last night braced for gales and rain as high winds from the remnants of Storm Ophelia swept across the North of England.
Forecasters said gales were likely on high ground in North Yorkshire with gusts leading to difficult travel conditions.
Strong winds were also expected on the East Coast with Hull particularly affected.
The hurricane-force winds killed three people as Ireland took the brunt of the bad weather first yesterday afternoon.
A man died in Ravensdale, Dundalk, Ireland, after a tree struck the car he was in at around 2.45pm, officers said.
Earlier, a man in his 30s was killed in a chainsaw accident as he tried to remove a fallen tree in Cahir, Co Tipperary, and a woman in her mid-50s died when her car was hit by a tree near the village of Aglish in Waterford.
Later remnants of the hurricane battered Britain’s west coast with gusts of up to 80mph, exactly 30 years after the Great Storm of 1987 killed 18 people.
In Wales, around 200 properties suffered power cuts, a number of schools closed early and the Cleddau Bridge was shut to high-sided vehicles, Pembrokeshire County Council said.
Flood warnings were in place along the Pembrokeshire coast, parts of west Scotland, northwest England, Cornwall and Dorset.
THREE PEOPLE were killed as hurricane-force winds from Storm Ophelia battered Ireland and the UK.
A man died in Ravensdale, Dundalk, Ireland, after a tree struck the car he was in at about 2.45pm, officers said.
Earlier, a man in his 30s was killed in a chainsaw accident as he tried to remove a fallen tree in Cahir, Co Tipperary, and a woman in her mid-50s died when her car was hit by a tree near the village of Aglish in Waterford.
Remnants of the hurricane battered Britain’s west coast yesterday afternoon, with gusts of up to 80mph, exactly 30 years after the Great Storm of 1987 killed 18 people.
Scores of homes were left without power, schools closed early, trees fell on to roads and bridges were shut on the UK mainland.
Prime Minister Theresa May spoke to Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar to offer support to affected areas. A Downing Street spokesman said: “On Storm Ophelia, the Prime Minister expressed her sympathies for the loss of life and said the UK Government stood ready to provide any support if requested.”
Around 360,000 homes and businesses were without power as the storm made its way through the Republic of Ireland and up into Northern Ireland.
Officials have announced that all schools in Northern Ireland and the Republic will remain closed on Tuesday.
In Wales, about 200 properties suffered power cuts, a number of schools closed early and the Cleddau Bridge was shut to high-sided vehicles, Pembrokeshire County Council said.
Flood warnings were in place along the Pembrokeshire coast, parts of west Scotland, NorthWest England, Cornwall and Dorset.
The RNLI has warned people to stay away from the sea during the extreme weather.
Matt Crofts, lifesaving manager, said seas are “particularly dangerous and unpredictable, with large waves and swells being a major risk”.
“Stormy conditions may be tempting to watch but big waves can easily knock you off your feet,” he said.
“The sea is far more powerful than you think and your chances of survival are slim if you are dragged into the swell.”
He added: “We understand why people want to experience extreme weather but it’s not worth risking your life, so we strongly urge people to respect the water and watch from a safe distance.”
The storm is expected to move across Wales, Northern England and Scotland.
Planes were grounded at a number of airports in the affected areas, flights and ferries were cancelled in parts of Scotland and passengers were warned to check ahead of travel.
Motorists on the M77 in western Scotland faced lengthy tailbacks as a lorry overturned in high winds at about 8.30am and blocked the southbound lane for more than a hour.
A yellow warning for high winds is in place for much of Wales, Scotland, North-East England, North-West England, SouthWest England and the West Midlands.
Parts of Scotland and Wales have been upgraded to amber. The UK Ministry of Defence has three battalions, 1,200 personnel in total, on standby to assist with contingencies.
The winds had another strange side effect yesterday when the sun appeared pink in some parts of Yorkshire due to dust and sand lifted into the atmosphere by the storm.