Damage caused by Storm Ophelia could reach £10m

Damage appears to be mostly for slates or roofing sheets ripped from houses and farm buildings - together with damage to properties and vehicles from falling trees
Damage appears to be mostly for slates or roofing sheets ripped from houses and farm buildings - together with damage to properties and vehicles from falling trees

The damage caused by Storm Ophelia could lead to claims costing up to £10m, mainly due to gale force winds damaging properties.

Farmers and rural businesses across parts of the UK braced for extreme weather as ex-Hurricane Ophelia moved across the country.

Rural insurer NFU Mutual estimated that the devastating gales affecting Northern Ireland, Wales and parts of Scotland could lead to claims costing £5m-10m.

NFU Mutual, which insures over 70% of UK farmers and thousands of rural homes and businesses in Northern Ireland, launched its emergency claims plan to speed help to its policyholders.

Martin Malone, NFU Mutual manager for Northern Ireland, said yesterday: "Based on what we are hearing today from our network of offices across Northern Ireland, damage appears to be mostly for slates or roofing sheets ripped from houses and farm buildings - together with damage to properties and vehicles from falling trees. This morning, we had 52 claims reported to us by Northern Ireland policyholders.

"However, with policyholders only now able to check damage as the winds subside, this is likely to rise."

The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland saw the brunt of the storm's ferocity.

600 homes in Northern Ireland were without power on Tuesday (17 October) after the Storm Ophelia clean-up got under way.

Ireland’s largest milk processor Glanbia said the storm caused disruption to milk collection in some areas.

Ireland's Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, urged farmers and rural businesses to be “extra vigilant” and take precautions.