Critical water level will not hit Limerick for another five days

THE worsening flood situation in the environs of Limerick city upstream to Parteen Weir will not hit critical levels for another five days, it has emerged.

As Limerick County Council upgraded flood warnings to “severe” to residents living by a 24km stretch of Shannon waterway between the city and Parteen Weir and Ardnacrusha power station, Environment Minister John Gormley yesterday said the critical period for floods in this section won’t emerge until next week.

After inspecting the floods along the lower River Shannon from an Aer Corps helicopter, Mr Gormley said: “The big issue now is next week when the tides are going to rise by about one metre. And that is what is of most concern to the agencies down here in Limerick and in Clare. And we are trying to monitor that situation and we are trying to predict and what the consequences of that will be.