Storm Ophelia is bearing down on Ireland, putting the entire country on lockdown and leaving thousands without power, as parts of the UK brace for 80mph winds and the Met Office warns of a potential “danger to life”.
Fears about the impact of strong winds have seen troops placed on standby and many public services in Ireland and Northern Ireland closed with schools, government buildings and courts among the services affected. More than 20,000 properties have been left without power and people were urged to stay indoors.
Remnants of Ophelia – previously classified as a hurricane as it made its way across the Atlantic – will reach Britain’s west coast on Monday afternoon, resulting in “exceptional” weather exactly 30 years after the Great Storm of 1987 left 18 people dead.
Planes have been grounded at Manchester Airport, with 20 flights cancelled and passengers warned to check ahead. Ireland was braced for the worst of the weather, with schools closed and around 130 flights cancelled at Dublin airport.
Schools and colleges were closed in Northern Ireland, which is covered with an amber weather warning – meaning there is a “potential risk to life and property”, issued when forecasters believe people need to be prepared to change their plans and protect themselves from the impacts of severe weather.
www.telegraph.co.uk
