Army Mobilised for Rescue Operations as Unforeseen Flooding Paralyses Cork
Cork: Storm Babet wreaked havoc in the Cork region, bringing an unprecedented deluge of rain to the southern part of the country.
Within just 24 hours, parts of County Cork saw a month’s worth of torrential rain, resulting in widespread flooding that affected hundreds of homes and businesses, including those in Cork city.
The Indian community in the Middleton area, which is the largest of its kind in the region, bore the brunt of the flooding. The main street in Middleton became impassable for several hours as Middleton’s Mill Road and Main Street were submerged, causing extensive damage to dozens of residences and businesses. The Defence Force responded to a request from local authorities and deployed officers to Middleton for assistance.
Cork County Council personnel coordinated initial flood prevention measures in various areas in the north and east of the county. The army also joined the rescue efforts later in the day. Reports described the flooding as being at an unprecedented level for the Cork region.
The council reported that homes and businesses in Whitegate, Rathcormac, Glander, Ringaskiddy, Carrigaline, Ruffin, Halfway, and Castletownbere experienced flooding. Even the Blackpool area in the city was not spared.
Teams from Cork City Council and Cork City Fire Service worked together to evacuate homes in areas including Commons Road, Great William O’Brien Street, and Dublin Street. A convenience store and pharmacy in Blackpool were also affected.
Glanmire faced severe flooding, resulting in many roads becoming impassable in Ballyvolane, Blarney, Carrigrohane, and Tower.
Flash floods submerged several cars parked on Monaghan Road and Centre Park Road in the southern part of the city.
The flooding also took its toll on Killeagh and Yongle in east Cork, with several properties submerged in these areas.
Cork County Council reported over 100 properties flooded in Midleton, and a rehabilitation centre was established in the town’s community centre to accommodate affected individuals.
Emergency service vehicles, volunteers, the RNLI, Coast Guard, Reserve, and Garda teams worked tirelessly to assist people who were stranded in their homes. Businesses suffered significant losses.
Cork TD James O’Connor expressed that he had never witnessed such extensive flooding in Cork before. Cork County Council established a coordination centre at the fire station in Midleton to manage response efforts.
Cork County Mayor Cllr. Frank O’Flynn stated that the city had experienced a month’s worth of rain in just 24 hours. He emphasised the need for the government to provide assistance to the local residents and businesses in east Cork severely affected by the flooding.
The statement indicated that transportation and engineering resources would be employed to evacuate people from the affected areas.
Fianna Fáil TD O’Connor emphasised the importance of financial compensation for traders, noting that many business owners had not yet received flood insurance, which had been offered to them during previous flood events.
Concerns were also raised about the timing of weather warnings, with Met Eireann providing an orange alert when a red warning might have been more appropriate.
Weather alerts included a status orange rain warning in three counties until 8 p.m. and a status yellow rain warning for Wexford and Wicklow that was upgraded to status orange. A status yellow alert was in place for Leinster, Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan, and significant flooding was reported on numerous roads in West Waterford, including the N25 and N72.
Heavy rain persisted in several areas, and County Kerry remained on yellow alert. The Met Office reported that heavy rain and east-south winds had led to localised flooding, challenging driving conditions, and high tide waves.
Flooding also forced the suspension of bus services from Cork to Cobh and Midleton.
Hear the latest National Forecast for today and the next few days: https://x.com/MetEireann/status/1714879995221320154?s=20
Irish Samachar English News
Comments are closed.