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Alistair Grimason in the County Mayo village of Cong has lent neighbours and family members access to his outdoor equipment, including torches, and the use of his gas cookers.
The 60 year old – who has been without power himself since Monday morning – told Premier: “It’s what we do in the rural west; we keep an eye on each other. We know each other because it’s a very small community.
“We know where the vulnerable are and we just think it’s an important thing to do together in times that are hard [or] difficult.”
A female motorist in her 70s died on Monday when a tree fell on her vehicle as she was driving close to Aglish near Waterford.
Storm Ophelia, which is expected to buffet areas of Ireland with winds of up to 100 miles per hour, has already caused in excess of 200,000 power cuts.
Schools and colleges were forced to shut in the Republic, while flights and ferry services have also been disrupted. Around 130 flights in Dublin have been cancelled.
Referring to the emergency services, Mr Grimason added: “It’s important that we keep them in our prayers as well for their safety and for their energy levels. They’re going to be under an awful lot of pressure in order to get us back on track whenever this is all past.”
Meanwhile, the Met Office has issued amber level weather warnings for Scotland and Wales, while yellow warnings are in place for much of Wales, northern England, the West Midlands and south-west England.
Click here to listen to Alistair Grimason speaking with Premier’s Alex Williams:
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