More flood fears as 'act of nature' wreaks total havoc
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Saturday August 02 2008
THE nation is braced for further flooding after freak weather ravaged communities causing millions of euro in damage yesterday.
Homes and businesses in Co Limerick were left ruined early yesterday morning when the town of Newcastle West suffered the worst flooding in living memory.
Later, the River Blackwater broke its banks leaving the north Cork town of Mallow under floodwaters yesterday afternoon.
Residents of Fermoy were yesterday evening piling up sandbags for a flood which was predicted to hit the town around midnight.
Limerick County Council yesterday issued a drinking water conservation notice in the wake of the flooding.
Hundreds of residents in Newcastle West and surrounding areas are being asked to refrain from using drinking water because production at a nearby water treatment plant has been stopped.
The council also confirmed that a whole month's worth of rain fell over Newcastle West in a five-hour period on Thursday night.
Last night a Met Eireann spokesman warned: "North Cork, South Tipperary and Kilkenny are taking the worst of it now. We are not sure how much rain the rivers have taken in these areas so there could be a risk of flooding there.
"They will eventually clear tomorrow and die out and become more isolated. But later in the day and on Sunday there will be heavy showers."
Surprise
The speed of the flooding in Newcastle West was the factor which took locals by surprise, as vehicles were turned over or swept away in a raging torrent.
Shortly after 1am, the River Arra burst its banks after four inches of rain -- the average amount of rainfall for a month -- fell in a matter of hours.
Locals watched in horror as manholes lifted and water gushed along the north and south quays and other adjacent streets in the town.
At its peak, up to six feet of water flowed down the street and into buildings while a number of cars, beer barrels and gas cylinders could be seen floating along the river channel.
An elderly woman had to be airlifted from her house and was treated in hospital for hypothermia while another couple had to be rescued from their flat in the town centre after they became trapped inside their home.
ESB engineers spent yesterday trying to restore power to some 2,500 customers who were left without electricity for most of the day.
Miraculously, nobody was killed or seriously injured in the freak flooding, which caused severe damage to an estimated 150 homes and businesses.
Devastated business owners spent yesterday counting the cost of the damage as a massive clean up operation got under way.
"It was a freak rainfall that hit this particular area with a vengeance. Ultimately nobody could deal with an act of nature like this, but we will be reviewing the services that are in place and when we assess the whole cost to the county council -- and it's going to be a very substantial figure.
"We will be seeking special funding from the Minister of the Environment," he added.
Local Auctioneer and insurance broker Pat O'Donovan was among the worst hit.
Heavy antique desks lay overturned in his office yesterday, while printers also lay strewn on the floor after water gushed through the premises.
The 61-year-old, who is also spokesman for the Newcastl West Business Association said he had been inundated with calls from other business people whose stock was completely destroyed in the flooding.
Eilish Mullane (32), owner of Kimono ladies boutique on North Quay believes she may have lost her entire stock in the flooding.
John and Nora Wallace, the owners of the Mallard restaurant, described yesterday how their "whole restaurant was floating" when the Arra river burst its banks and water flooded their premises.
"Naturally I was devastated when we came down this morning because we couldn't down before then because the water was so high," explained Mrs Wallace.
More than 100 emergency workers were involved in yesterday's clean-up operation including 60 fire personnel from five separate stations in Co Limerick and Cork.
Meanwhile, Junior Minister Martin Mansergh visited Newcastle West yesterday evening to meet with local TD John Cregan and assess the damage caused by the flooding.
- Kathryn Hayes
