Storms leave homeowners facing massive clean-up

Homeowners were tonight counting the cost of a massive clean-up operation after severe thunderstorms left dozens of homes and roads flooded across the capital.

The once-in-55-years downpour saw almost three weeks’ rain fall in Dublin in a two-hour period sparking flash floods.

Residents in a flats complex were evacuated, commuters left stranded and even hospital patients were affected by rain that turned rush-hour into gridlock.

Forecasters at Met Eireann said: “It was extremely rare to get that type of weather. It would happen in the summer but it‘s still extremely rare.

“But a repeat of something as intense as that is extremely unlikely in the next couple of days.”

A weather warning was issued last night and Dublin City Council said its emergency workers were on the streets to tackle flooding as the downpours began at 2am. The heaviest rain fell from 4am onwards.

More than 38mm fell at Dublin Airport while the average for the whole of July is 50mm. Records showed the torrential rain was a one-in-55-year event.

In the city’s Mater Hospital, 25 patients escaped without injury and had to be moved when part of a roof collapsed in a ward on the top floor. A second ward and the A&E department were also closed because of flooding.

Around 20 people were rescued from an apartment block on Sherrard Street in the north inner city.

Another 20 residents were evacuated from their homes on Clanmoyle Road, Donneycarney, after street drains overflowed and filled their homes for the second time in 12 months.

It was the worst flooding in the city since last August when 76.2mm of rain fell in one day.

The council said potentially any house in the capital could have flooded overnight.

Sean Haughey, Minister of State and Fianna Fáil TD, said the flooding was heartbreaking for residents in the area who were hit with similar flash floods less than a year ago.

“I am calling on Dublin City Council to upgrade the River Wad culvert so that these intolerable flood events can be eliminated for these distressed residents,” said Mr Haughey.

He claimed water run-off and collection was the main issue and he called for boundary walls between houses on Clanmoyle Road and Clontarf Golf Club to be replaced with high security fencing.

“The presence of the boundary wall acts as a catalyst for trapping the rising flood waters, thus exacerbating the problem,” he said.

Lord Mayor Emer Costello blamed the floods on climate change.

“This is the second time within the space of 12 months that Dublin experienced this type of flooding and it is clear that this is as a direct consequence of climate change,” she said.

Heavy rainfall also caused part of a roof to collapse at a house in Monkstown.

Manhole covers were blown out of streets by the force of water in drains, basements destroyed in Donnycarney and gas pipes in Ballymun burst.

Rush hour motorists faced traffic chaos when they woke up with roads across the region left impassable.

Drivers described some of the capital’s most important routes such as the M1 at the Port Tunnel as swimming pools while Dublin Fire Brigade warned people not to use cars unless necessary.

Other pockets along the Coast Road, Santry, Drumcondra and Ballymun were also badly hit while Dart and commuter trains between Dun Laoghaire and Dalkey were suspended for a number of hours.

Fine Gael Transport Spokesman Fergus O’Dowd said huge areas in and around Dublin had been brought to a standstill.

“Although the emergency services were able to cope effectively with the flooding, the incident highlight the lack of any co-ordinated mechanism to get Dublin’s traffic moving in a crisis,” he said.

The Mater Hospital said work on a temporary emergency department will begin tonight, but warned members of the public not to attend until further notice.

“Initial safety reports show extensive flood damage to A&E and two ward areas,” said a spokesman.

“The two ward areas affected will require extensive repair works over the coming weeks.

“Patients scheduled for elective surgery will be contacted by the hospital to confirm if their scheduled surgery has been affected.

“Outpatients’ services are not affected.”