Storm force winds are forecast for the west tonight, as efforts continue to try and relieve hardship caused by flooding in large parts of east Galway, parts of Roscommon, Leitrim, Clare and Limerick.
Galway county councillors are to seek an emergency aid package from the Government for people affected by the flooding, given the difficulties in securing insurance cover in a number of areas.
Galway county manager Martina Moloney said this morning almost all of east Galway has been affected. The council’s priorities are to safeguard public health, evacuate families in flooded areas and work to keep transport links open, she said.
She said that a shift in water levels, due in part to the impact of turloughs in certain limestone rich areas, has seen a slight drop in water levels in some areas.
The water level of the river Suck through Ballinasloe is reported to have dropped by three inches, and there is a slight drop on the Clare river at Claregalway. However, both are still impassable to traffic.
Levels have risen at Portumna, Kiltartan, Labane and Gort in south Galway, Ms Moloney said. It was impossible to give a figure for the extent of the damage overall at this stage, she said, and long term solutions would have to be addressed by the Office of Public Works.
At last night’s Galway County Council meeting, Cllr Sean Kyne (FG) said councillors should not give planning permission for housing in areas that are affected by flooding.
Some 65 roads in Galway county are still closed, and another 40 are flooded but passable. Closures include the N18 Galway-Limerick road at Kiltartan and Crowe Streeet, Gort; the N17 Galway-Sligo road at Claregalway; the N6 at Ballinasloe – traffic is being diverted onto the temporarily opened M6; and the N65 Galway- Tipperary road at Portumna.
Delays are being experienced on the N84 Galway-Castlebar road which is taking all traffic from the north of the county and is flooded close to the Clare river crossing.
In Ballinasloe, which was visited by Taoiseach Brian Cowen yesterday evening, the chamber of commerce has said it will still switch on its Christmas lights next week in spite of the hardship experienced by residents and businesses.
Over 100 families have had to leave homes in the town, and over 12 businesses have been flooded.
HSE West has also assisted Galway County Council in providing emergency accommodation for families in St Brigid’s Hospital and in a local hotel. A precautionary boil water notice is still in force in Ballinasloe and surrounding areas since the river Suck burst its banks last week.
St Vincent de Paul in Ballinasloe said it has received a large public response to its appeal for food, clothing, bedding and household goods to help those people who lost everything when their homes were flooded.
Roscommon County Council issued a precautionary boil water notice in Castlerea and surrounding areas last evening due to detection of low levels of cryptosporidium in the water supply. It has also issued a precautionary boil water notice for Four Roads/Mount Talbot.
Flooding has affected parts of Roscommon, with over a dozen people requiring assistance to leave homes, according to its flood incident team. Some 40 patients were relocated from a nursing home in the town over the weekend by Civil Defence, and local roads have been closed.
The N63 Galway-Roscommon road is still impassable at Athleague village, and at the section between Loughgeorge and Annagh cross.
The Galway-Dublin rail route has reopened, but is subject to review and delays of up to 20 minutes are being experienced. The Galway-Sligo rail route is disrupted due to flooding at Carrick-on-Shannon, and bus transfers have been put in place between Carick-on-Shannon and Longford.
Bus Éireann said services from Galway northwards are experiencing delays due to road closures. Galway-Limerick services are diverted via Loughrea and are experiencing delays.
