Residents battle on as water levels rise further

Flooding in Carrick-on-Shannon has forced a number of businesses to close up shop and major traffic diversions to be put in place.

Also badly hit is the nearby Leitrim village, which straddles the River Shannon and the Shannon Erne Canal.

The 'Now Doc' out-of-hours GP service, based in Inver Geal in the town had to be relocated to St Patrick's Hospital yesterday after flooding affected its premises.

Director of Services for Leitrim County Council, John McGuinness, said that flood levels around Carrick on Shannon, Leitrim village and Dromad were worsening.

"Leitrim County Council have been working all weekend with the property owners providing thousands and thousands of sandbags and helping people out as much as they can.

Leitrim village remained closed to through-traffic yesterday with the R208 linking Leitrim village with Carrick-on-Shannon also closed.

Fear

Meanwhile, many business owners close to the water were yesterday fearing that the worst was yet to come.

Carmel Carthy, whose husband David runs Carthy's Lock 17 pub on the waterfront, said they had never seen the water levels so high.

"We have sandbags along the back and front doors of the house and premises and we have small water pumps pumping out the water that is seeping in through the bags and up from the foundations.

"We are monitoring them around the clock on two-hour shifts and water is still rising. It went up another half-inch last night," she said.

Roscommon South Leitrim TD, Frank Feighan, who visited many the affected sites yesterday, praised the community spirit of local people.

"Co Leitrim and along the river Shannon has been very, very badly hit. It is harrowing to see so many businesses, so many landowners and so many houses flooded," he said.

He added that people were feeling very disillusioned.

"It is a very difficult time. A lot of people feel they have been let down, very forgotten. My phone hasn't stopped," he said.