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Three reported dead in Storm Ophelia as Irish PM urges people to stay indoors Three people die as Storm Ophelia batters Ireland and Britain
(35 minutes later)
Three people have been killed in Ireland as Storm Ophelia hit Britain and Ireland with winds of up to 100mph. Three people have died in Ireland as Storm Ophelia hit Britain and the Irish Republic with winds of up to 100mph (160km/h).
The Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, described Ophelia’s impact as a “national emergency” that had forced the closure of the country’s schools and colleges and brought its transport network to a standstill on Monday. The Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, described Ophelia’s impact as a “national emergency” that forced the closure of schools and colleges and brought the transport network to a standstill on Monday.
Varadkar said it was the worst storm to hit Ireland in 50 years and appealed to people to stay indoors. The chairman of Ireland’s National Emergency Co-ordination group, Sean Hogan, added his voice to Varadkar’s saying: “These gusts are life-threatening. Do not be out there.” He said it was the worst storm in Ireland in 50 years and appealed to people to stay indoors. The chairman of Ireland’s national emergency coordination group, Sean Hogan, said: “These gusts are life-threatening. Do not be out there.”
Earlier a man in his 30s died in a chainsaw accident in Cahir, County Tipperary, after trying to remove a tree brought down by the storm, Irish police said. A woman in her 70s was killed when a tree fell on her car in Co Waterford in south-east Ireland. The third death happened at around 2.45pm after a tree fell on a car a man was driving in Ravensdale, outside Dundalk in Co Louth. Earlier on Monday, a man in his 30s died in a chainsaw accident in Cahir, County Tipperary, after trying to remove a tree brought down by the storm, Irish police said. A woman in her 70s was killed when a tree fell on her car in Co Waterford in south-east Ireland. The third death happened at about 2.45pm after a tree fell on a car a man was driving in Ravensdale, near Dundalk in Co Louth.
Referring to Hurricane Debbie in 1961, Varadkar said: “The last time we had a storm this severe, 11 lives were lost, so safety is our number one priority.”Referring to Hurricane Debbie in 1961, Varadkar said: “The last time we had a storm this severe, 11 lives were lost, so safety is our number one priority.”
Ahead of her trip to Brussels for dinner with EU leaders on Monday night, Theresa May telephoned the taoiseach to offer her sympathy over the deaths caused by the storm. Ahead of her trip to Brussels for dinner with EU leaders on Monday night, Theresa May telephoned the taoiseach to offer her sympathy for the deaths caused by the storm.
“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,” a Downing Street spokesperson 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,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.
The storm also prevented Bill Clinton visiting Belfast for a crucial round of talks with local politicians. The storm also prevented Bill Clinton from visiting Belfast for a crucial round of talks with local politicians.
The taoiseach’s Cabinet colleague, foreign minister Simon Coveney, speaking from his native Cork, which was one of the hardest hit parts of the country, said: “This is a weather event the likes of which we have never seen before.” The Irish foreign minister, Simon Coveney, speaking from his native Cork, one of the worst-affected parts of the country, said: “This is a weather event the likes of which we have never seen before.”
Coveney said that the government had been briefed that the strong winds would whip up waves on the Irish coastline that were of up to 12 metres high and in some cases “taller than a double-decker bus”. Coveney said the government was briefed that the strong winds would whip up waves on the Irish coastline up to 40ft (12 metres) high and in some cases “taller than a double-decker bus”.
As Ophelia struck land around 10am, there were power outages due to felled power lines in the south and south-west of the country. Power cuts continued throughout the day and by mid-afternoon 360,00 customers in the Republic were without electricity. The Republic’s Electricity Supply Board warned of further power outages throughout the night. As Ophelia struck land at about 10am, there were outages due to felled power lines in the south and south-west of the country. Power cuts continued throughout the day and by mid-afternoon, 360,00 customers were without electricity. The Irish Republic’s Electricity Supply Board warned of further outages throughout the night.
More than 140 flights from Irish airports were cancelled and by 10am, all of the Dublin Bus routes in the capital were shut down. The city’s Luas tram system was also closed over fears for public safety. Every creche, school, third level college and university in the Irish Republic was also closed. More than 140 flights from Irish airports were cancelled and by 10am, all Dublin Bus routes in the capital were shut down. The city’s Luas tram system was also closed over safety fears. Every creche, school, third-level college and university in Ireland was closed.
Ireland’s education minister Richard Bruton announced that all schools and colleges would remain closed on Tuesday. Later, the Department of Education in Northern Ireland said that all its schools would also not open on Tuesday. Ireland’s education minister, Richard Bruton, announced that all schools and colleges would remain closed on Tuesday. Later, the Department of Education in Northern Ireland said all its schools would also not open on Tuesday.
Those caught up in the storm on Ireland’s western seaboard described how violent winds were pounding the coastline. Those caught up in the storm on Ireland’s western seaboard described violent winds pounding the coastline.
Kathryn Johnston drove 260 miles on Monday from Ballymena in Northern Ireland to Galway, in Ireland, for her daughter Alice’s graduation. The National University of Ireland Galway however shut down due to the storm and the graduation ceremony was cancelled. Johnston and her daughter were holed up inside the Jurys Inn hotel close to the river Corrib in the city. Kathryn Johnston drove 260 miles on Monday from Ballymena in Northern Ireland to Galway in Ireland for her daughter Alice’s graduation.
With the front entrance to the hotel blocked with sandbags by the afternoon to prevent flooding, Johnston described how even birds were “being blown away” in the sky by the violent winds over Galway Bay. However, the National University of Ireland Galway shut due to the storm and the graduation ceremony was cancelled. Johnston and her daughter were staying at the Jurys Inn hotel close to the river Corrib in the city.
She said that when you went to the automatic doors of the hotel “a blast of wind and rain just hits you in the face full on”. With the front entrance to the hotel blocked with sandbags by the afternoon to prevent flooding, Johnston said even birds were “being blown away” in the sky by the violent winds over Galway Bay.
Meanwhile, passengers on an Aer Lingus flight from Lisbon to Dublin praised the skill of an Irish pilot who guided their plane safely into land in the middle of the storm. When going through the automatic doors of the hotel, “a blast of wind and rain just hits you in the face full on”, she said.
Paulo Nunes Santos contacted the Guardian from the plane after it landed in Dublin. He said he wanted to praise the female pilot who had guided flight EI483 from Lisbon safely home. Meanwhile, passengers on Aer Lingus flight EI483 from Lisbon to Dublin praised the skill of an Irish pilot who guided their plane safely into land in the middle of the storm.
Santos, originally from Portugal but who has lived in Dublin for 15 years, said: “I’ve been in hundreds, if not thousands of flights, but never experienced this level of turbulence. Paulo Nunes Santos contacted the Guardian from the plane after it landed in Dublin.
“We only started feeling it more or less as we started approaching via Cork. The pilot was great. The plane shook like mad and the approach to the runway was the worst I have experienced. But the pilot, she was brilliant. Oddly there was no panic among the passengers. Everyone clapped and applauded the pilot, we were told her name is Niamh Jennings. You could feel the huge sense of relief in the plane.” Santos, who is originally from Portugal but has lived in Dublin for 15 years, said: “I’ve been in hundreds, if not thousands of flights, but never experienced this level of turbulence.
By mid afternoon Ophelia was hammering Northern Ireland with gusts of winds of up to 80mph. By a quarter to five around 18,000 homes in Northern Ireland were without power due to falling trees knocking down power lines. “We only started feeling it more or less as we started approaching via Cork. The pilot was great. The plane shook like mad and the approach to the runway was the worst I have experienced.
A tree had also fallen onto the railway line at Lambeg, outside Belfast, disrupting one of the busiest rail links in the region. “But the pilot, she was brilliant. Oddly, there was no panic among the passengers. Everyone clapped and applauded the pilot, we were told her name is Niamh Jennings. You could feel the huge sense of relief in the plane.”
Roads in Belfast were closed due to flying debris and the newest bridge over the Foyle river in Derry was also closed. By mid-afternoon, Ophelia was hammering Northern Ireland with winds of up to 80mph. By 4.45pm, about 18,000 homes in Northern Ireland were without power due to falling trees knocking down power lines.
Former US president Clinton was due to meet political parties represented in Stormont when he was to urge them to find a deal to restore the power-sharing government in Northern Ireland. A tree had also fallen on to the railway line at Lambeg, outside Belfast, disrupting one of the busiest rail links in the region.
There had been hopes that Clinton could have held talks with the parties on Tuesday but this was later cancelled. Roads in Belfast were closed due to flying debris and the newest bridge over the Foyle river in Derry was also shut.
The Stormont parliament building itself suffered in the storm. The home of the Northern Ireland Assembly, which has not functioned for ten months due to the breakdown of power sharing, suffered an electrical outage. Clinton was due to meet political parties represented in Stormont to urge them to find a deal to restore the power-sharing government in Northern Ireland.
There had been hopes that the former US president could have held talks with the parties on Tuesday, but plans for this were later cancelled.
The Stormont parliament building suffered in the storm. The home of the Northern Ireland assembly, which has not functioned for 10 months due to the breakdown of power sharing, suffered an electrical outage.