Heavy rainfall causes chaos

HEAVY rain caused traffic chaos around the country last night with flooding making many roads impassable.

Gardaí in the south of the country urged motorists to take care as further rain is expected in the coming days.

In Tipperary, the River Suir burst its banks and the Quays in Clonmel town — historically a flooding hotspot — were closed last night with gardaí saying they expected conditions to get worse as the night went on.

Just outside the town, Marlfield lake had also reportedly burst its banks.

In Co Cork, gardaí in Mallow said excessive surface water had made roads around the town impassable.

They reopened later that evening.

In the Midleton area, gardaí warned motorists to beware of a crater-like pothole outside Ballinacurra, on the Midleton to Whitegate road. “More than 10 cars have already burst their tyres because of it. The council are there now and it is being taken care of,” said a Garda spokesperson.

Meanwhile in Kilkenny, motorists have been urged to take extreme care on the Kilkenny to Castlecomer Road, the N76 and the Circular Road, due to surface water.

Met Éireann said there was a continuing risk of localised flooding, especially in the south of the country.