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Storm Ophelia: homes still without power and rail lines blocked Storm Ophelia: homes still without power and rail lines blocked
(about 2 hours later)
Up to 1,700 homes in Cumbria and Lancashire are without power and several key rail lines in northern England and Scotland are blocked by fallen trees as disruption from Storm Ophelia continues. More than 250,000 homes in Ireland and up to 1,700 homes in Cumbria and Lancashire were left without power while several key rail lines were blocked in northern England and Scotland as disruption from Storm Ophelia continued.
Its force has weakened since it ripped through Ireland, causing three deaths and widespread disruption on Monday. But a yellow warning for winds of up 70mph will remain in place for the south-east of Scotland and parts of north-east England until 3pm on Tuesday. A yellow weather warning for high winds in Scotland and Northern England was lifted a day after the storm ripped through Ireland, causing three deaths and widespread disruption.
A yellow severe weather warning for #wind has been updated: https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs Stay #weatheraware @metofficeuk pic.twitter.com/0I6zshiMBV A major cleanup operation was under way as Electricity North West confirmed that homes in 11 postcodes in Carlisle as well as Kendal, Ulverston, Preston, Hyde and Wigan would be without power until 4pm on Tuesday.
Electricity North West confirmed that homes in 11 postcodes in Carlisle as well as Kendal, Ulverston, Preston, Hyde and Wigan will be without power until 4pm.
Our Teams working to restore you as quickly as we can after #Powercuts caused by storm #Ophelia - Current outages below - Rachel pic.twitter.com/djcO0I0XuQOur Teams working to restore you as quickly as we can after #Powercuts caused by storm #Ophelia - Current outages below - Rachel pic.twitter.com/djcO0I0XuQ
The supplier told BBC Cumbria that electricity was cut to about 18,000 properties, mainly in the county, and 1,700 are still without power.] The supplier told BBC Cumbria that electricity was cut to about 18,000 properties, mainly in the county, and 1,700 were still without power.]
Rail services between Edinburgh and Aberdeen, Dundee, Fife and Perth have been suspended after a freight train is thought to have hit a tree on the line near Markinch. Rail services between Edinburgh and Aberdeen, Dundee, Fife and Perth were suspended after a freight train was thought to have hit a tree on the line near Markinch.
The train has been removed but disruption is expected until midday, Scotrail said. Services have also been hit between Glasgow and Edinburgh due to a branch hitting overhead power lines in Bellshill. Services to Neilston, south-west of Glasgow, have been cancelled because of an obstruction on the track. The train was removed but disruption was expected until midday, Scotrail said.
Services have also been affected between Glasgow and Edinburgh after a branch hit overhead power lines in Bellshill. Services to Neilston, south-west of Glasgow, were cancelled because of an obstruction on the track.
The train operator Northern said several trees were blocking the line between Halifax and Bradford Interchange. It warned that trains may be cancelled or diverted.The train operator Northern said several trees were blocking the line between Halifax and Bradford Interchange. It warned that trains may be cancelled or diverted.
There was a further report of a landslip on the line and commuters were warned that rail replacement services could be affected by the poor road conditions.There was a further report of a landslip on the line and commuters were warned that rail replacement services could be affected by the poor road conditions.
Trains were also unable to run between Manchester airport and Wilmslow station in Cheshire after a tree fell on overhead electrical wires.Trains were also unable to run between Manchester airport and Wilmslow station in Cheshire after a tree fell on overhead electrical wires.
Virgin Trains said a tree blocking the railway at Lockerbie was causing disruption to journeys and work was under way to remove it. Police in the coastal Cumbrian town of Barrow urged people to avoid the town’s football ground after the wind ripped off part of the roof of its main stand.Virgin Trains said a tree blocking the railway at Lockerbie was causing disruption to journeys and work was under way to remove it. Police in the coastal Cumbrian town of Barrow urged people to avoid the town’s football ground after the wind ripped off part of the roof of its main stand.
Meanwhile, schools on both sides of the Irish border will remain closed for a second day as authorities begin to assess the damage. Meanwhile, schools on both sides of the Irish border remained closed for a second day as authorities began to assess the damage.
Ireland experienced the worst of the weather on Monday, with winds of almost 100mph damaging electricity networks and causing widespread disruption and three deaths.Ireland experienced the worst of the weather on Monday, with winds of almost 100mph damaging electricity networks and causing widespread disruption and three deaths.
The first victim was 58-year-old Clare O’Neill, who died after the car she was driving in Co Waterford was struck by a tree at about 11.40am. She had been due to celebrate her 59th birthday on Tuesday. Her mother, who is in her 70s, was sitting in the passenger seat and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. O’Neill had worked as an oncology nurse for more than three decades. An Irish cabinet minister condemned those people who swam in the Irish sea, walked on piers and windsurfed while the storm was raging.
At about 12.30pm on Monday, Michael Pyke, 31, was attempting to clear a fallen tree with a chainsaw near Cahir in Co Tipperary. Another tree collapsed on him and he fell on to the chainsaw, police said. The defence minister, Paul Kehoe, accused the thrillseekers of putting at risk the lives of Garda officers and members of the emergency services. Kehoe said it was “absolutely ludicrous, stupid and totally inappropriate” that some chose to risk not only their own lives but the lives of their potential rescuers during the storm.”
Fintan Goss, the third victim, was killed when his car was struck by a tree in the Ravensdale area north of Dundalk in Co Louth. The married father of three, who was in his 30s, had been travelling home early from work due to the storm. A local councillor, John McGahon, said Goss and his family were “extremely well regarded” in the community. He added: “Garda in Galway tried to stop those people going into Salthill, but they didn’t heed his advice. Had they gotten into trouble the emergency services would have been called.”
About 245,000 homes remain without power in Ireland, but airports have reopened and rail services have resumed. In Northern Ireland 4,000 homes and businesses, mainly in counties Down, Armagh and Antrim, are still without electricity. Up to a quarter of a million homes in the Irish Republic as well as 5,000 homes in Northern Ireland were still without power on Tuesday morning. Ireland’s electricity supply board warned it could take up to four days to restore power, as engineers from the UK arrived to help repair downed cables.
Northern Ireland, south-west Scotland, north-west England and north-west Wales are no longer covered by the latest Met Office warning. A spokeswoman for the Department of Education in Northern Ireland justified the decision to keep the region’s schools closed despite the worst of the storm having passed. She said: “Other considerations included potential power outages in schools, risks to travel arrangements including school buses and timelines for inspection of safety at schools as a result of the severe weather conditions.”
Northern Ireland, south-west Scotland, north-west England and north-west Wales were no longer covered by the latest Met Office warning.
The forecaster Steven Keates said commuters should expect “very gusty conditions”, with winds of up to 70mph. He said: “The strong winds will continue but should moderate a little bit compared to what we have seen. There’s still a risk of gales and it’s still strong enough to cause disruption, but a little bit down on what we have seen.”The forecaster Steven Keates said commuters should expect “very gusty conditions”, with winds of up to 70mph. He said: “The strong winds will continue but should moderate a little bit compared to what we have seen. There’s still a risk of gales and it’s still strong enough to cause disruption, but a little bit down on what we have seen.”