Three killed as hurricane Ophelia hits UK

The storm of Hurricane Ophelia has killed three people in the United Kingdom, as the Irish Republic’s Electricity Supply Board confirms that 360,000 homes are now out of power.

Ireland and Wales are the major areas of the UK currently affected by the storm, which is estimated to hit a speed of 175 kilometres per hour.

The skies over London, Brighton, and many parts of the UK has been cloudy and dark, featuring a slightly red sun, and elevated temperatures.

According to BBC, two people have been killed in the Irish Republic — a man in his 30s and a woman in her 50s. The man was reported to have died as a result of a chainsaw accident caused by the heavy tropical storm.

The woman died when a tree fell on her car in Co Waterford, south east Ireland — a woman in her 70s was also injured in the crash. The two deaths were no way related.

The UK Guardian also reports that a third person was killed in Dundalk, near the border with Northern Ireland, after another tree fell on their car, taking the death toll in Ireland as a result of the storm to three.

Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister, issued a personal appeal for people to remain indoors, describing Ophelia as a national emergency.

“The last time we had a storm this severe, 11 lives were lost, so safety is our number one priority,” he said, referring to a Storm Debbie of 1961.

Prime Minister Theresa May has contacted the Irish prime minister, expressing her condolences.

“On storm Ophelia, the prime minister expressed her sympathies for the loss of life and said the UK government stood ready to provide any support if requested,” a statement from the prime minister’s office read.