Residents warned to be ready to evacuate

By Jimmy Woulfe Mid-West Correspondent

Thursday, November 26, 2009

PEOPLE living in flood- risk areas in Co Limerick below Parteen Weir were yesterday warned to prepare to evacuate at short notice as more water had to be released through Ardnacrusha ESB power station due to record high levels on Lough Derg.

The ESB will have to continue releasing water through Parteen Weir, with more rain forecast, worsening the unprecedented floods in the Shannon network from Lough Allen to Lough Derg.

The release of water yesterday from Parteen Weir led to flood levels rising by a further three inches in vulnerable areas including the Limerick suburb of Shannon Banks.

A spokesman for Waterways Ireland said the situation on the Shannon was now unmanageable. "There is absolutely nothing else that can be done to alleviate the flooding at these levels."

Donal Brennan, senior engineer with Limerick County Council said a further rise in water levels will bring a new threat to many houses. "We are advising [that] people in flood prone areas should have a family flood plan to ensure there is warm clothes ready and their medicines at hand in case they may have to evacuate."

Glen Pope, the ESB’s hydro manager at Ardnacrusha power station said: "We are dealing with an unprecedented flood event. Flood levels on Lough Derg rose by 5.5cm over night and Killaloe has seen 62mm of rainfall over the last three days."

Due to these water levels, he said they had to increase the discharge from the Parteen Weir by about 6% yesterday. On Monday the discharge was 10% above normal levels, triggering huge flood threats at Shannon Banks and the evacuation of 22 families.

Mr Pope said increased amounts of water released from Parteen brought new threats down river: "It is discharging into an area that is already flooded and that will have an impact and we would expect the water level to rise by three inches."

Mr Pope said it was not possible to speculate on what amounts they will have to release from Parteen Weir over coming days.

He said: "The Shannon has been in flood since November 10, but it is fair to say a normal flood situation is probably manageable, but this is an unprecedented event. It is a record flood and certainly the biggest flood we have seen since we started keeping records in 1932."

Ger Dollard, senior engineer with Clare County Council said they are working on an hourly basis with the ESB on the flow from Parteen Weir.

There was one evacuation in Clonlara yesterday, while Shannon Banks did not require further evacuations.

The weather patterns over coming days, he said, were a matter of concern.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Thursday, November 26, 2009