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| Ophelia Makes Landfall in Ireland; One Motorist Killed | Ophelia Makes Landfall in Ireland; One Motorist Killed |
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| BALLYFERRITER, Ireland — The post-tropical storm Ophelia, one of the most powerful ever recorded in the northeastern Atlantic, bore down on Ireland on Monday, unleashing strong winds and rain that threatened to visit widespread destruction on an island with little experience of such powerful storms. | BALLYFERRITER, Ireland — The post-tropical storm Ophelia, one of the most powerful ever recorded in the northeastern Atlantic, bore down on Ireland on Monday, unleashing strong winds and rain that threatened to visit widespread destruction on an island with little experience of such powerful storms. |
| The national weather service, Met Eireann, issued its first red alert for severe weather for the entire country Sunday night, warning of “violent and destructive gusts” and of “potential loss of life.” At least one person was killed on Monday, a woman in her 70s, officials said. | |
| Winds reached 176 kilometers, or 109 miles, an hour at Fastnet Rock, the country’s most southerly point, the weather service said Monday morning. | Winds reached 176 kilometers, or 109 miles, an hour at Fastnet Rock, the country’s most southerly point, the weather service said Monday morning. |
| “Bear in mind that while in some parts of the country the storm is not yet that bad, it is coming your way,” Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said at a news conference on Monday. “This is a national red alert. It applies to all cities, all counties and all areas.” | “Bear in mind that while in some parts of the country the storm is not yet that bad, it is coming your way,” Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said at a news conference on Monday. “This is a national red alert. It applies to all cities, all counties and all areas.” |
| Mr. Varadkar said the last time a storm this powerful had hit Ireland was Hurricane Debbie in 1961, which left 11 people dead. Officials in County Waterford, on the south coast, said a female motorist was killed on Monday when a tree crashed through her windshield in the town of Aglish. | Mr. Varadkar said the last time a storm this powerful had hit Ireland was Hurricane Debbie in 1961, which left 11 people dead. Officials in County Waterford, on the south coast, said a female motorist was killed on Monday when a tree crashed through her windshield in the town of Aglish. |
| Ophelia, classified as a Category 3 hurricane over the weekend, was downgraded on Monday to a post-tropical cyclone by the National Hurricane Center in the United States. | Ophelia, classified as a Category 3 hurricane over the weekend, was downgraded on Monday to a post-tropical cyclone by the National Hurricane Center in the United States. |
| Nevertheless, Met Eireann said it was the most powerful storm ever recorded this far east in the Atlantic. It was the 10th hurricane of the 2017 Atlantic storm season. | Nevertheless, Met Eireann said it was the most powerful storm ever recorded this far east in the Atlantic. It was the 10th hurricane of the 2017 Atlantic storm season. |
| The storm is expected to churn north across Ireland on Monday and to move toward Britain late Monday or early Tuesday, according to Britain’s national weather service, the Met Office, which called the storm “ex-Hurricane Ophelia.” | The storm is expected to churn north across Ireland on Monday and to move toward Britain late Monday or early Tuesday, according to Britain’s national weather service, the Met Office, which called the storm “ex-Hurricane Ophelia.” |
| Ireland mostly shut down on Monday as the storm made landfall in the southwestern counties of Cork and Kerry around 7 a.m., lashing coastal towns with heavy rain. | Ireland mostly shut down on Monday as the storm made landfall in the southwestern counties of Cork and Kerry around 7 a.m., lashing coastal towns with heavy rain. |
| The national electricity provider, the Electricity Supply Board, reported outages across southwestern Ireland. Schools, universities, courts and hospital outpatient facilities were all closed on Monday. Public transportation, ferries and flights were also canceled, and people were advised to stay indoors. | The national electricity provider, the Electricity Supply Board, reported outages across southwestern Ireland. Schools, universities, courts and hospital outpatient facilities were all closed on Monday. Public transportation, ferries and flights were also canceled, and people were advised to stay indoors. |
| Shane Ross, Ireland’s transportation minister, said at a news conference on Monday that even after the storm passed, “The roads will not be safe.” | Shane Ross, Ireland’s transportation minister, said at a news conference on Monday that even after the storm passed, “The roads will not be safe.” |
| “There will be flooding, and it will be very dangerous,” he said. “People should be very careful this evening if they are driving.” | “There will be flooding, and it will be very dangerous,” he said. “People should be very careful this evening if they are driving.” |
| The national police force, An Garda Siochana, tweeted photographs of trees blocking roads and urged motorists to travel only if necessary. | The national police force, An Garda Siochana, tweeted photographs of trees blocking roads and urged motorists to travel only if necessary. |
| It also tried to inject some humor into the situation, sharing a cartoon that depicted the island blowing off the map. “Gusty winds can move us all in mysterious ways,” it said. | It also tried to inject some humor into the situation, sharing a cartoon that depicted the island blowing off the map. “Gusty winds can move us all in mysterious ways,” it said. |
| Although Monday was nominally a working day, the country’s main business association, the Irish Business and Employers Confederation, or Ibec, encouraged its members to allow employees to work from home if possible. | Although Monday was nominally a working day, the country’s main business association, the Irish Business and Employers Confederation, or Ibec, encouraged its members to allow employees to work from home if possible. |
| “Given the current red status weather warning and widespread issuing of public safety alerts, Ibec encourages all businesses to minimize the movement of employees tomorrow,” the group said in a statement on Sunday. “Safety should be of the utmost priority.” | “Given the current red status weather warning and widespread issuing of public safety alerts, Ibec encourages all businesses to minimize the movement of employees tomorrow,” the group said in a statement on Sunday. “Safety should be of the utmost priority.” |
| Mr. Varadkar told reporters he was concerned that “people may believe that the storm isn’t going to be as bad as predicted.” | Mr. Varadkar told reporters he was concerned that “people may believe that the storm isn’t going to be as bad as predicted.” |
| “There is a possibility that we are going to be here tomorrow relieved that the damage was less than we thought, but we can’t operate on that basis,” he said. “So I don’t want anyone to think that this is anything other than a national emergency and a red alert in all counties, all cities, all areas.” | “There is a possibility that we are going to be here tomorrow relieved that the damage was less than we thought, but we can’t operate on that basis,” he said. “So I don’t want anyone to think that this is anything other than a national emergency and a red alert in all counties, all cities, all areas.” |