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Two people confirmed to have died in Storm Ali

Updated 16:45 Two people have died as a result of Storm Ali. A man in his 20s died after he was h...
Newstalk
Newstalk

09.08 19 Sep 2018


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Two people confirmed to have d...

Two people confirmed to have died in Storm Ali

Newstalk
Newstalk

09.08 19 Sep 2018


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Updated 16:45

Two people have died as a result of Storm Ali.

A man in his 20s died after he was hit by a falling tree near Slieve Gullion Forest Park in south Armagh.

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It happened around lunchtime on Wednesday afternoon.

A man in his 40s was also taken to hospital for treatment following the incident.

In a statement, the PSNI said officers attended the sudden death of a man - with a post-mortem due to take place to determine the cause of death.

Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious and the Northern Ireland Health and Safety Executive has been informed.

The scene in Claddaghduff, near Clifden in Co Galway where a woman died after her caravan was blown off a rock-face | Image:  Niall Carson/PA Wire/PA Images

Galway caravan

Earlier, a woman died in Co Galway after the caravan she was staying in was blown off a cliff.

It happened at Claddaghduff near Clifden, with Gardaí alerted at around 7:45am.

It is understood the woman, aged in her 50s, was in the country on holidays from Switzerland.

She was staying at a local caravan park when it was taken by the wind, falling down a rock-face onto Acton's Beach.

Gardaí and emergency services responded to the incident and the woman's body was found on the beach after a search.

Her body was taken to University Hospital Galway for a post-mortem examination.

The scene in Claddaghduff, near Clifden in Co Galway where a woman died after her caravan was blown off a rock-face | Image:  Niall Carson/PA Wire/PA Images

Earlier President Michael D Higgins expressed his condolences on the woman's death.

"I was deeply saddened to learn that Storm Ali has already claimed one victim today in Claddaghduff, Co Galway," he said.

"As President of Ireland, may I express my deepest condolences to her family.

"I would also take this opportunity to pay tribute to all those, in statutory and voluntary organisations around the country, who are helping and stand ready to assist their fellow citizens, and who are working to maintain essential services around the country.”

He noted that the strong winds have brought dangerous conditions and urged, "everyone to heed the warnings by the authorities and take caution when travelling or when out in the open."

The scene in Claddaghduff, near Clifden in Co Galway where a woman died after her caravan was blown off a rock-face | Image:  Niall Carson/PA Wire/PA Images

Meanwhile, Health Minister Simon Harris also expressed his sympathy.

"The hearts of everybody go out to the family who have been affected by this terrible fatality during Storm Ali," he said.

"I want people to know that our emergency services, including our health services, are doing everything they possibly can to care for people.

"But I think it is absolutely vital that people continue to heed all of the warnings that are available from Met Éireann and from the Office of Emergency Planning."

The Cleggan Volunteer Coast Guard unit also responded to the incident.

Thousands of homes and business are without power, and transport services have been disrupted as a result of Storm Ali.  


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