Flooding fears as Met Éireann gives weather warning

HOUSEHOLDS, BUSINESSES and property owners across Leinster, Ulster and the Connacht coast are bracing themselves for renewed flooding after Met Éireann issued a severe weather warning yesterday.

The State forecaster said a series of rainbelts was expected to move in from the Atlantic throughout today and tomorrow with rainfall expected to be more widespread than last weekend’s downpour.

In Dublin, the four local authorities have spent recent days vacuuming drains and stockpiling sandbags, while plans have been put in place to use the city’s traffic control centre as a co-ordination room for emergency services including the fire brigade, ambulance, civil defence and Garda Síochána.

The flood warning from Met Éireann came as households in north and west Dublin and parts of the midlands and the south were still clearing up from last week’s downpour.

Met Éireann said the worst affected areas were expected to be Leinster and Ulster, with the worst of the heavy rain expected last night or today. Up to 60 mm of rain could fall in north Leinster and Ulster, while 45 to 60mm could be expected in mid-Leinster and less in Connacht. Met Éireann said recent rainfall had already resulted in a high water table and flooding was likely.

In Dublin, a number of low-lying homes and businesses were attempting to protect their property by clearing drains and placing sandbags in front of doors.

In north Dublin, a spokesman for the Tolka House pub in Glasnevin, which it is claimed has been flooded four times in the last five years, said specialist equipment had been used to clear drains while the business had invested in its own sandbags.

Deputy Dublin city engineer Tim Brick said all precautions were being taken, but flash flooding was extremely localised and nearly impossible to predict.

The council’s network of traffic cameras would be used to monitor the situation on roads while fire brigades and council staff would be on standby.

When a “significant incident” is declared, the co-ordination group will meet in the traffic centre. “We are prepared in as far as anybody can be,” he said.

Council staff will use metal detectors to locate drains which may have become blocked by debris. Extra pumping equipment is available and additional staff are on call.

The weekend’s GAA matches at Croke Park – the Tyrone v Dublin senior football quarter-final this afternoon and tomorrow’s hurling semi-final between Tipperary and Waterford will go ahead, the GAA said yesterday. Gardaí have advised supporters to expect delays and to use public transport.

The Road Safety Authority has also issued a warning to motorists to take extra care. It has asked drivers to consider vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

Mike Kemp for the Irish Insurance Federation said last week’s floods were comparable to floods in 2004 which had cost the insurance industry some €38 million.

While estimating the cost of flooding was a difficult exercise, he said the amount of claims in yesterday were “about the same” as the levels of claims in one week after the 2004 floods.

Tomorrow and Monday are expected to return to showery weather with some sunshine and light winds. Met Éireann said the outlook is for very unsettled weather until Tuesday.