Floods leave 20,000 without phone lines

Almost 20,000 people had phone lines cut off after floods tore through the Eircom network, the company said today.

The telecomms firm said landlines and broadband were hit worst in Co Cork after the exchange in Bandon was flooded.

The knock-on effect left 10,500 customers from Clonakilty further west to Rosscarberry, Ballydehob, and Drimoleague without communications

Eircom said some services in the bigger towns such as Skibbereen were quickly restored.

Co Clare was also badly hit with 6,200 customers with no phones, an exchange in Ballyhaise, Co Cavan cut connections to 700 people while a spokesman for the company said there were another 5,000 faults caused by floods on the network.

“Our crews have identified a number of vulnerable and threatened sites around the country and are maintaining surveillance and patrols on these areas to manage and respond to any increase in risk throughout the day and over the weekend,” the company said.