Recovery operation as Ophelia kills three

Storm Ophelia has claimed three lives as it swept across Ireland with further disruption from its hurricane-force winds expected.

Sand bags on the ready in Dublin as Ophelia claims three lives in Ireland as it heads north. (AAP)

A huge recovery operation is under way in Ireland following one of the most powerful storms in recorded history on the island.

The remnants of Hurricane Ophelia slammed into Ireland with wind gusts of up to 191 kph, killing at least three people, grounding planes, shutting schools and causing widespread power outages.

Fallen trees blocking roads and downed power lines are some of the likely hazards as the country begins to return to normal following a day when the island went into lockdown.

Violent winds caused widespread damage to electricity networks, uprooting trees and damaging properties.

Father-of-two Fintan Goss, 33, was killed in Ravensdale, Dundalk, when a car he was in was struck by a tree.

In Cahir, Co Tipperary, a 31-year-old, named locally as Michael Pyke, was killed in a chainsaw accident when he was trying to clear a tree downed by the wind.

Earlier, a woman driver in her 50s died when a tree fell on her car in strong winds near Aglish village in Co Waterford.

The storm has caused major disruption to power supplies and 245,000 homes and businesses were still without power on Tuesday.

In parts of the United Kingdom and in France's Brittany region, the sky turned an eerie colour as Ophelia's winds carried a mix of sand from the Sahara and particles from forest fires in Spain and Portugal. On social media, people posted pictures of London landmarks against yellow-orange skies.

reuters