30.10.04
Irish Independent
FLOODING LEAVES TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION
The extent of the flooding on The Quay in the town
FORTY families spent last night in temporary accommodation as floods continued to wreak devastation across the south and east of the country.
The army was called in to rescue residents from the Co Tipperary town of Clonmel yesterday, where a huge mopping up operation was underway after the River Suir burst its banks. Houses were also flooded in Carrick-On-Suir.
Met Eireann warned the flooding would worsen today, as several feet of water continues to pour through homes and businesses causing heartbreak and many millions of euros worth of damage.
In Cork city, traders last night demanded emergency Government flood relief and a freezing of commercial rates because of the huge losses sustained.
An emergency plan was implemented in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford with all civil defence personnel and emergency services on standby as flood concerns grew in the town.
Power lines were cut in Galway and Wexford, but electricity supply had been restored to some 3,000 subscribers yesterday. Motorists also had to navigate flooding across many roads, including New Line Road in Wexford, the Old Dun Laoghaire Road in Dublin and the main Dublin Road in Fermoy, Co Cork.
Ray Whelan rescuing Benny the dog on Old Bridge Street
A delay in the construction of a €30m flood relief scheme due to begin this year was blamed for the devastation caused by the floods yesterday in Clonmel.
Independent TD Seamus Healy estimated the floods have caused up to €4m worth of damage, with many victims not covered by insurance.
He said: "Here we are again in the same situation as we were in 2000, only this time it's worse. This scheme seems to be long fingered by the Government and look what that has done to Clonmel."
Town mayor Denis Dunne (FG) said: "We want that €30m scheme put in place now and don't understand the delay in the funding. It would help us significantly. People would at last feel safe in their homes." Forty families were evacuated from their homes as the waters spread across a three-mile area.
One hundred and fifty homes and business premises were worst affected, and thousands of acres of farmland lay under water as the rivers rose 20mm every hour.
Around 200 members of the emergency services worked throughout the day ferrying people in trucks, JCBs and even shopping trolleys.
The council also ran a shuttle and rescue service with 35 trucks and provided 3,000 sandbags, while the 12th Infantry Battalion members had 10 trucks in use and distributed another 2,000 sandbags.
Junior Minister Tom Parlon promised residents the scheme would get under construction early in the new year and would be finished over a four-year period. In 2000, €13.5m was granted in humanitarian aid, and Mr Parlon said the Government would look seriously at providing such aid again. A tearful Liz O'Brien, of Coleville Road, left her home at 3am with her two sons Shane (15) and Jonathon (22). She said her "whole world was devastated".
"We only refurbished our kitchen on Wednesday and it is ruined now. We can't get home insurance and no-one will buy our house," she said.
Cork city was last night facing property and stock damage totalling 20m after the worst River Lee floods since 1962.
Both Cork Chamber of Commerce and Cork Business Association were seeking emergency meetings with Minister Tom Parlon and Cork City manager, Joe Gavin to discuss the crisis.
Major flood damage was also sustained by traders and householders in Fermoy, Bantry, Youghal, Macroom, Clonakilty and Castletownbere. Mallow saw virtually all of its Bridge Street shops under four foot of water from the River Blackwater.
Cork Business Association director, James O'Sullivan, warned it was a matter of commercial survival for many traders located in the city centre.
"The floods were absolutely disastrous - many of our members on Patrick Street and Oliver Plunkett Street had between two and three feet of water in their shops," he explained.
"Most simply didn't have the time to remove or protect their stock - and, unfortunately, shops were very heavily stocked because of the start of the Christmas shopping season," he added.
Mr O'Sullivan warned the city council against any attempt to fund flood repairs through increases in commercial rates, adding that Cork deserved emergency flood-relief support from the Government.
Meanwhile, a major rescue operation succeeded yesterday in refloating a damaged 2,200-tonne bulk carrier that had been driven by the storms onto rocks outside Kinsale harbour.
The MV Sea Brise was driven on to rocks at 5am on Thursday morning after gale-force winds and heavy seas left her dragging her anchor. The combination of two tugs and a high tide helped safely ease the 2,200 tonne vessel off the rocks.
Helen Bruce, Sarah Murphy and Ralph Riegel
FLOODING LEAVES TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION
The extent of the flooding on The Quay in the town
FORTY families spent last night in temporary accommodation as floods continued to wreak devastation across the south and east of the country.
The army was called in to rescue residents from the Co Tipperary town of Clonmel yesterday, where a huge mopping up operation was underway after the River Suir burst its banks. Houses were also flooded in Carrick-On-Suir.
Met Eireann warned the flooding would worsen today, as several feet of water continues to pour through homes and businesses causing heartbreak and many millions of euros worth of damage.
In Cork city, traders last night demanded emergency Government flood relief and a freezing of commercial rates because of the huge losses sustained.
An emergency plan was implemented in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford with all civil defence personnel and emergency services on standby as flood concerns grew in the town.
Power lines were cut in Galway and Wexford, but electricity supply had been restored to some 3,000 subscribers yesterday. Motorists also had to navigate flooding across many roads, including New Line Road in Wexford, the Old Dun Laoghaire Road in Dublin and the main Dublin Road in Fermoy, Co Cork.
Ray Whelan rescuing Benny the dog on Old Bridge Street
A delay in the construction of a €30m flood relief scheme due to begin this year was blamed for the devastation caused by the floods yesterday in Clonmel.
Independent TD Seamus Healy estimated the floods have caused up to €4m worth of damage, with many victims not covered by insurance.
He said: "Here we are again in the same situation as we were in 2000, only this time it's worse. This scheme seems to be long fingered by the Government and look what that has done to Clonmel."
Town mayor Denis Dunne (FG) said: "We want that €30m scheme put in place now and don't understand the delay in the funding. It would help us significantly. People would at last feel safe in their homes." Forty families were evacuated from their homes as the waters spread across a three-mile area.
One hundred and fifty homes and business premises were worst affected, and thousands of acres of farmland lay under water as the rivers rose 20mm every hour.
Around 200 members of the emergency services worked throughout the day ferrying people in trucks, JCBs and even shopping trolleys.
The council also ran a shuttle and rescue service with 35 trucks and provided 3,000 sandbags, while the 12th Infantry Battalion members had 10 trucks in use and distributed another 2,000 sandbags.
Junior Minister Tom Parlon promised residents the scheme would get under construction early in the new year and would be finished over a four-year period. In 2000, €13.5m was granted in humanitarian aid, and Mr Parlon said the Government would look seriously at providing such aid again. A tearful Liz O'Brien, of Coleville Road, left her home at 3am with her two sons Shane (15) and Jonathon (22). She said her "whole world was devastated".
"We only refurbished our kitchen on Wednesday and it is ruined now. We can't get home insurance and no-one will buy our house," she said.
Cork city was last night facing property and stock damage totalling 20m after the worst River Lee floods since 1962.
Both Cork Chamber of Commerce and Cork Business Association were seeking emergency meetings with Minister Tom Parlon and Cork City manager, Joe Gavin to discuss the crisis.
Major flood damage was also sustained by traders and householders in Fermoy, Bantry, Youghal, Macroom, Clonakilty and Castletownbere. Mallow saw virtually all of its Bridge Street shops under four foot of water from the River Blackwater.
Cork Business Association director, James O'Sullivan, warned it was a matter of commercial survival for many traders located in the city centre.
"The floods were absolutely disastrous - many of our members on Patrick Street and Oliver Plunkett Street had between two and three feet of water in their shops," he explained.
"Most simply didn't have the time to remove or protect their stock - and, unfortunately, shops were very heavily stocked because of the start of the Christmas shopping season," he added.
Mr O'Sullivan warned the city council against any attempt to fund flood repairs through increases in commercial rates, adding that Cork deserved emergency flood-relief support from the Government.
Meanwhile, a major rescue operation succeeded yesterday in refloating a damaged 2,200-tonne bulk carrier that had been driven by the storms onto rocks outside Kinsale harbour.
The MV Sea Brise was driven on to rocks at 5am on Thursday morning after gale-force winds and heavy seas left her dragging her anchor. The combination of two tugs and a high tide helped safely ease the 2,200 tonne vessel off the rocks.
Helen Bruce, Sarah Murphy and Ralph Riegel
