Emergency services deal with aftermath of widespread flooding

An apartment complex in Carlow town had to be evacuated and roads were rendered impassable in many counties as rivers burst their banks amid torrential rainfall

THERE WAS serious flooding in Leinster and parts of Munster at the weekend as the bad summer weather continued.

An apartment complex at Cantaur Street in Carlow town had to be evacuated yesterday after the river Barrow burst its banks.

Kennedy Street in the town was also flooded, especially Dicey Riely's pub, which had been badly damaged in previous flooding. The road from Tullow to Rathtoe in the county was also closed.

Pádraig Cahill, chief civil defence officer in Carlow, said the service was called to the scene of the Cantaur Street apartments at 10am yesterday. "It is subject to flooding here periodically and with the build-up in rain over recent days the flow had got too high and got over the wall. It was three feet this morning and is four feet now and rising."

The apartments had been redeveloped recently to take into account the flooding threat.

He noted there was a mixture of young and old living in the complex and no one had been injured. Eleven civil defence crew were working in the town, using boats, and were assisted by gardaí and the fire brigade. "It is probably the worst we've ever had it here. Until the water subsides we won't be able to see the extent of the damage," said Mr Cahill.

In Arklow, Co Wicklow, several cars had to be towed to safety after being caught in flash floods as the town was hit by its worst downpour in years on Saturday.

Sea Road, beside the caravan park, was the worst affected area, with flood waters rising over two feet on a large stretch of the road, trapping a number of cars as they attempted to drive through.

Two children had to be lifted to safety as one vehicle stalled in the middle of the floods, while local businessman Michael O'Reilly towed a number of cars to safety.

Council workers handed out over 1,000 sandbags to worried residents to protect their homes from being flooded, with South Green, The Brook and Lower Main Street also taking the brunt of the flood waters.

Elsewhere in Co Wicklow, there were long delays along the N11 from Bray, Enniskerry, Kilmacanogue and the Glen of the Downs. There was also severe flooding in Kilmacanogue, Rathnew and Greystones.

Gardaí in Kilkenny advised the public there at the weekend that there was an elevated risk of flooding in all rural and urban areas in the county on Saturday night and again last night.

Several roads throughout Co Kilkenny remained closed on Saturday due to flooding. The N9 Kilkenny to Carlow road was blocked at Paulstown. The N80 Carlow to Portlaoise road was also blocked and the N77 Kilkenny to Durrow road was flooded.

In Co Offaly, there was bad flooding in Daingean and Edenderry, where the canal burst its banks. There was also flooding around Clonygowan. The Mountmellick to Ballyfinn Road in Co Laois and the Mountmellick to Derryclooney Road were both impassable. In Co Tipperary, a bridge collapsed in Ballynunty following Saturday's heavy rain.

Dublin escaped the worst flooding, with the N3 Dublin to Cavan road clear in the Dublin area but there was flooding on it in Meath, from Ross Cross past Navan and again at Virginia, Co Cavan. The Trim to Dublin road was totally blocked at Jack Quinn's Pub, Scurloughtstown.

Co Kildare was also affected, with the M4 Dublin to Mullingar road flooded between Maynooth and Kilcock. It was officially passable but there were reports at times that cars were not getting through. The N7 Dublin to Limerick road was blocked in two parts earlier on Saturday; although there was flooding at Roscrea and Portlaoise, the road was passable yesterday.

Roads "passable with care", according to AA Roadwatch yesterday, included the R182 Castleblayney to Newtownhamilton and R190 Ballybay to Cootehill roads in Co Monaghan.