Related News
Ireland, UK brace for strongest wind in 15 years
Source: Agencies |
September 13, 2011, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
TROPICAL Storm Katia shut down roads, bridges and sporting events yesterday in Ireland and Britain, where residents braced for the strongest wind gusts in 15 years.
Forecasters in both countries said yesterday's gusts would top 125 kilometers per hour as the storm - previously a hurricane as it roared across the Atlantic - made driving, shipping and even walking dangerous in broad swathes of Ireland, Scotland and northern England.
Most ferry services between Ireland and Britain were canceled, and fishing boats along the Atlantic coasts of Ireland and Scotland were warned to head into port.
Britain's government forecasting service, the Met Office, told the public to be ready for the strongest winds since October 1996, when the tail end of Hurricane Lili killed five Britons and caused an estimated 150 million pounds (US$250 million) of damage.
The office said winds were averaging 88 kph while the strongest reported gust so far was 128 kph at a mountain station in North Wales. Gusts in the Northern Irish border town of Castlederg hit 118 kph.
Heavy rainfall was expected to hit the north of Ireland and central Scotland, where Transport Minister Keith Brown reassured travelers that emergency crews were ready to handle accidents, road blockages and power outages.
"Robust contingency arrangements are in place so people should not panic," Brown said.
The Tour of Britain cycling race canceled yesterday's planned second stage across northern England after deeming the course's most exposed and elevated points too dangerous.
Ireland, which is regularly buffeted by strong Atlantic winds, also warned of dangerous driving conditions and the risk of coastal flooding.
Forecasters in both countries said yesterday's gusts would top 125 kilometers per hour as the storm - previously a hurricane as it roared across the Atlantic - made driving, shipping and even walking dangerous in broad swathes of Ireland, Scotland and northern England.
Most ferry services between Ireland and Britain were canceled, and fishing boats along the Atlantic coasts of Ireland and Scotland were warned to head into port.
Britain's government forecasting service, the Met Office, told the public to be ready for the strongest winds since October 1996, when the tail end of Hurricane Lili killed five Britons and caused an estimated 150 million pounds (US$250 million) of damage.
The office said winds were averaging 88 kph while the strongest reported gust so far was 128 kph at a mountain station in North Wales. Gusts in the Northern Irish border town of Castlederg hit 118 kph.
Heavy rainfall was expected to hit the north of Ireland and central Scotland, where Transport Minister Keith Brown reassured travelers that emergency crews were ready to handle accidents, road blockages and power outages.
"Robust contingency arrangements are in place so people should not panic," Brown said.
The Tour of Britain cycling race canceled yesterday's planned second stage across northern England after deeming the course's most exposed and elevated points too dangerous.
Ireland, which is regularly buffeted by strong Atlantic winds, also warned of dangerous driving conditions and the risk of coastal flooding.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
