Hundreds of homes and businesses near Galway city were left without water yesterday after a road collapsed.
A truck driver had to summon help after his vehicle sank into the collapsed road outside Carnmore Community Centre on the Monivea Road.
An overnight leak from a burst water mains pipe led to the pooling of water on the roadway as the truck travelled through the area early yesterday.
The carriageway gave way as the truck passed over it. A crew of local men pulled the truck to safety and gardaí immediately put diversions in place.
Road and water services crews from Galway County Council were rushed to the scene. An initial assessment revealed that a significant part of the road will have to be replaced.
"The damage to the road is massive," said local councillor Jim Cuddy. "The damage is affecting a lot of homes and businesses in the area, particularly the likes of dairy farmers who are dependent on water.
“The burst mains pipe also supplies group water schemes in the area, so the impact is very significant,” said Mr Cuddy. “The repairs are being carried out by the county council under a service agreement with Irish Water.”