Flooding, power cuts reported around Ireland following heavy rainfall

Motorists in parts of Northern Ireland were forced to abandon vehicles last night. Meanwhile, localised flooding has been reported in parts of Cork, Waterford, Tipperary, Wicklow and Westmeath.

Updated 11.55am

FLOODING HAS BEEN reported in local areas around the country – with water levels rising so high in parts of Northern Ireland that motorists were forced to abandon their cars last night.

AA Roadwatch has said that Co Cork is the worst-affected area so far following severe rain overnight. It is urging motorists to slow down, increase their braking distance and use dipped headlights to improve visibility.

National Coordination Group

In the Dáil today, it was announced that a National Coordination Group is meeting about the flooding situation at present. The group comprises of officials from:

OPW
Met Eireann
Fire services
Dept of Transport
Dept of Environment
Dept of Defence

Cork County Council activated its flood response plan at 4am this morning. Approximately 50mm (2 inches) of rain fell between 1-4am, with up to 70mm in some areas. The problem was made worse by already saturated ground from the wettest June on record

To date, €44.5m has been allocated to flood risk management schemes nationally, including those in Mallow South and West, Fermoy, Bandon and Skibbereen.

Electricity

The ESB said that 10,000 customers were affected by power cuts, but after work by their crews this morning, 600 homes are affected: 400 in Clonakilty and 200 in Bandon. Electricity has been fully restored in Douglas.

ESB Networks is asking residents in the Douglas area to minimise their use of electricity today while repair work are carried out.

Anyone experiencing issues is asked to contact ESB Networks on 1850 372999.

Roads affected

The suburbs in Cork are affected, with routes impassable in Douglas, Glanmire and Greenmount, as well as flooding reported around Killens on the N20/Mallow Road at Blackpool; the N71/GBandon Road by the Viaduct; the South City Link road by Turner’s Cross; and all aroutes around Clonakilty.

In Tipperary, the M8 Dublin/Cork road is flooded between J11 Cahir South and J12 Mitchelstown North, the AA says. It advises motorists to take extreme care while driving this road, which has not been closed as of yet.

Flooding has also been reported in Waterford on the N25/Cork road; the N55/Ballymahon Road in Westmeath; the N65 Portumna/Loughrea road in Galway; the N69 Limerick/Listowel road; the M7 Dublin/Limerick road between J9 Naas North and J11 the M9; and a number routes in the Belfast area.

More details can be found on the AA website.

Cork

Gardaí are advising motorists about the following roads in Cork:

City Centre in Cork – is passable.
Douglas – passable, heavy traffic and water is subsiding
Blackpool – both sides of the Church impassable
Mallow Road – passable
Sarfields Roundabout – impassable
Viaduct – a stop & go system is in operation
Glanmire – impassable

Gardaí are advising all motorists to drive slowly and carefully in these conditions.

Cork Civil Defence has been tweeting videos and photographs of flooding in Cork, with one person sending in a video of water streaming into a building.

Meanwhile, motorists in Northern Ireland were forced to abandon their cars last night.

One Cork resident sent us photographs of flooding in Douglas Village, in Cork City:

Pic @JVBrennan

Pic: @JVBrennan

Weather report

Met Eireann says this morning that “a band of heavy rain, with embedded thunderstorm activity and hail, will continue to move northwards this morning producing further flooding”.

There will be drier weather and some sunny spells but there will be scattered thundery showers as well.

Rivers burst their banks

Met Eireann told TheJournal.ie that 46mm of rain fell in Cork overnight between 7pm and 7am.

According to Newstalk, because three times the average rainfall had already fallen in the city, rivers burst their banks.

Clonakilty has been described on Newstalk by a local as “devastated”, with no access into or out of the town due to the flooding.

Has your area been affected by flooding? Send your pics to tips@thejournal.ie or tweet us @thejournal_ie

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