Storm Ali: Woman who died after her caravan was blown off a cliff onto a beach in Ireland is named

Andy Wells
·Freelance Writer

The woman who died after the caravan she was in was blown off a cliff during Storm Ali has been named locally as Swiss holidaymaker Elvira Ferraii.

Ms Ferraii 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.

<em>Elvira Ferraii died after the caravan she was in was blown off a cliff during Storm Ali (PA)</em>
Elvira Ferraii died after the caravan she was in was blown off a cliff during Storm Ali (PA)
<em>A severe gust took the caravan over the side of the Clifden ecoBeach Camping and Caravan Park (PA)</em>
A severe gust took the caravan over the side of the Clifden ecoBeach Camping and Caravan Park (PA)
<em>Debris from the caravan was littered across the beach in County Galway (PA)</em>
Debris from the caravan was littered across the beach in County Galway (PA)

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

Footage from the scene showed the caravan broken up into several pieces as the tide threatened to wash it out to sea.

Ireland was battered by some of the worst winds recorded at this time of year, the conditions wreaking havoc on power supplies and roads – and costing two lives.

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In Northern Ireland, a man in his 20s working on behalf of public utility Northern Ireland Water at a water pumping station died when a tree fell on him at a popular forest park in Co Armagh.

White overall-clad forensics experts combed the scene and the fire service oversaw work on the hefty tree, which had fallen across the main entrance road into Slieve Gullion park, a forested hill close to the border with the Republic in South Armagh.

Irish President Michael D Higgins was among those who expressed condolences following the Republic’s tragedy.

<em>A man looks at debris at the scene in Claddaghduff, near Clifden (PA)</em>
A man looks at debris at the scene in Claddaghduff, near Clifden (PA)
<em>A man working on behalf of public utility Northern Ireland Water at a water pumping station died when a tree fell on him during Storm Ali (PA)</em>
A man working on behalf of public utility Northern Ireland Water at a water pumping station died when a tree fell on him during Storm Ali (PA)
<em>White overall-clad forensics experts combed the scene and the fire service oversaw work on the hefty tree (PA)</em>
White overall-clad forensics experts combed the scene and the fire service oversaw work on the hefty tree (PA)

He said: ‘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.’

Ireland’s Minister for Employment Regina Doherty also offered her condolences to the family of the dead woman.

More than 250,000 homes and businesses across the island of Ireland were at one stage without power as a result of Storm Ali, with emergency workers battling difficult conditions as wind speeds peaked during the afternoon.

<em>The storm brought down several trees across the region (PA)</em>
The storm brought down several trees across the region (PA)
<em>Forecasters have warned of more strong winds to come (PA)</em>
Forecasters have warned of more strong winds to come (PA)

Ireland’s electricity network, ESB Networks, said thousands of homes, businesses and farms have been left without power – with the most impacted in Cavan, Sligo, Donegal, Castlebar and Galway.

In Northern Ireland, thousands of homes and businesses were without power as gusts of 70mph caused significant damage.

Irish forecaster Met Eireann said the strongest gusts in the hour leading up to 10am reached speeds of 120km/h (74.5mph) at Mace Head in County Galway, 98km/h (60.9mph) at Dublin Airport and 107km/h (66.5mph) at Shannon.

The Met Office said gusts of 91mph hit Killowen in County Down.

<em>A woman looks at a fallen tree outside her home in Belfast (PA)</em>
A woman looks at a fallen tree outside her home in Belfast (PA)

Forecasters in Ireland issued a Status Orange wind warning for more than half the country due to the storm, while ore heavy rain and strong winds are predicted.

A new weather system moving in from the Atlantic has prompted a warning of possible flooding and further travel disruption.

While Northern Ireland and Scotland bore the brunt of the blustery conditions, the latest weather front is expected to bring downpours and gusts to Wales and much of England on Thursday.

S<em>torm Ali brought 102mph winds to the north of the country (PA)</em>
Storm Ali brought 102mph winds to the north of the country (PA)

The Met Office has warned of a ‘chance’ of injuries and danger to life as high winds threaten to blow tiles from roofs and fell trees.

Met Office meterologist Laura Paterson said: ‘Through Thursday another area of low pressure will develop and approach the UK from the south west, bringing rain and a second spell of strong winds later.’

The unsettled weather is due to last the rest of the week and is caused by a jet stream from Canada, the Met Office said.

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