Clean-up continues as A&E reopens after flooding

THE Accident and Emergency department at Cork University Hospital reopened yesterday after flash flooding caused by thunderstorms forced to the unit to close for 24 hours.

Safety checks on high-voltage X-ray equipment were continuing yesterday evening as hospital management sought to identify how so much water came through to the ground floor, flooding a number of departments.

“It was mainly just water damage and while steps are being taken to remedy it, it seems like in most businesses in this area of the city, the drainage system was just overloaded,” Angie O’Brien of the Southern Health Board said. Clean-up teams and humidifiers were employed overnight to dry out the flooded area, as ambulances and emergency admissions were transferred to other city hospitals.