Storm Ali news: Woman who died after caravan blown off cliff named as Swiss tourist Elvira Ferraii

The scene in Co Galway where a woman died after her caravan was blown off a cliff in Storm Ali
PA
Ella Wills19 September 2018

A woman who died after her caravan was blown off a cliff in high winds during Storm Ali has been named locally as Elvira Ferraii.

The Swiss holidaymaker was staying at the Clifden ecoBeach Camping and Caravan Park in Co Galway in Ireland's west when a severe gust took her caravan over the side and down onto a beach.

Emergency services were called before 8am on Wednesday morning but the victim, aged in her 50s, was pronounced dead at the scene after a brief search.

She was reported to have been staying at the remote beauty spot for several weeks.

Storm Ali swept across the UK and Ireland on Wednesday, bringing wind speeds of more than 100mph and wreaking havoc on power supplies and roads.

The caravan which blew off the cliff as Storm Ali hit Ireland
RTE.ie

A man died after being hit by a falling tree as he worked in a country park in County Armagh on Wednesday afternoon.

A second man was injured during the incident at Slieve Gullion Park.

It is understood the men were doing contract work for Northern Ireland Water.

The man who died was aged in his 20s. The injured man, who is aged in his 40s, was taken to hospital.

Police said there were no suspicious circumstances and the incident was being investigated by the region's Health and Safety Executive.

A yellow wind warning is in place across much of England and Wales from 6pm on Thursday to 9am on Friday. There is a yellow warning for rain for Northern England and Wales in place from 4am to 10pm on Thursday.

In Scotland, police said a "major incident" has been declared in Dumfries and Galloway due to the storm, with roads and ferries all being affected by the severe weather.

The extreme weather cost a woman her life at around 7.45am after a caravan was blown off a cliff at Claddaghduff, Co Galway, Ireland, while she was inside it. The caravan was smashed to pieces on the rocks and sand.

Storm Ali - In Pictures

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A statement by Garda confirmed a search was carried out at the scene on the beach and “a short time after the body of a female in her 50s was recovered”.

Meanwhile, a woman was seriously injured after a tree fell on to her car in Tarporley, Cheshire.

A spokesman for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said crews were called to Forest Road just after 1.30pm when the tree fell on the car, trapping the woman inside.

She was taken to hospital by air ambulance.

Police clear a tree as Storm Ali hits land on Wednesday
Getty Images

The Met Office said gusts of 91mph hit Killowen in County Down, 77mph winds were recorded in Kirkcudbrightshire in Scotland, 74mph gusts hit Capel Curig in Wales and 68mph was recorded in St Bees Head, Cumbria.

Irish forecaster Met Eireann said strongest gusts in the hour leading up to 1pm include 104km/h (64.6mph) at Dublin Airport, 93km/h (57.8mph) at Knock Airport and 83km/h (51.6mph) at Shannon Airport.

Forecasters in Ireland issued a Status Orange wind warning for more than half the country due to the storm.

As Ali rolled in, the Met Office updated its amber weather warning of wind, warning of a high likelihood of impacts across a swathe of the UK.

The weather alert, which was in place until Wednesday evening, warned that flying debris was likely and could lead to injuries or danger to life.

A tree which has fallen onto a car in Belfast as Storm Ali has begun to make itself felt across Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland and England
PA

The Met Office said gusts of 91mph hit Killowen in County Down, 77mph winds were recorded in Kirkcudbrightshire in Scotland, 74mph gusts hit Capel Curig in Wales and 68mph was recorded in St Bees Head, Cumbria.

Irish forecaster Met Eireann said strongest gusts in the hour leading up to 1pm include 104km/h (64.6mph) at Dublin Airport, 93km/h (57.8mph) at Knock Airport and 83km/h (51.6mph) at Shannon Airport.

Forecasters in Ireland issued a Status Orange wind warning for more than half the country due to the storm.

As Ali rolled in, the Met Office updated its amber weather warning of wind, saying there is a high likelihood of impacts across a swathe of the UK.

The weather alert, which is in place until Wednesday evening, warns that flying debris is likely and could lead to injuries or danger to life.

A less severe yellow warning for wind is in place until Wednesday night.

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