Kildare, Dublin in flood warning

IT was the turn of Kildare and Dublin to deal with the deluge yesterday as flood warnings were issued in both counties.

Early in the day, the River Liffey burst its banks at several locations, including the Strawberry Beds.

Householders had to be ferried from their homes in rubber dinghies early yesterday and further bad weather is expected tomorrow night.

Flooding was at dangerous levels last night in Athy, Clane, Naas and Newbridge in Co Kildare as waters rose in the rivers Barrow and Liffey.

A nursing home in Clane has been evacuated and several houses and apartments at The Waterways in Sallins have been flooded.

The ESB, which operates three dams on the river, said it was discharging water from the Leixlip dam. Large volumes of water are entering the river and a general flood warning applies along its course.

Members of the Defence Forces and Dublin Civil Defence were mobilised last night to deal with rising floodwater in parts of the county.

A spokesman for Kildare County Council said the fire service and army were helping the council to distribute sandbags. Floodwaters are still high in the west and midlands, which have been pounded by torrential rain on and off for over a week.

More families were forced to leave their homes at Meelick in Co Clare and Clonfert, Co Galway over the weekend as waters rose up near window levels.Water levels on the River Shannon were still a major cause of concern last night.

The ESB has said there will be no immediate increase in the volume of water being released from Parteen weir into the Shannon, following a 3cm drop in water levels in Lough Derg.

The company said flood levels downstream of Parteen weir are not expected to change.

The ESB has been releasing water from Parteen at the same rate over the past three days.

Head of the Government’s emergency response group Sean Hogan said the water management plan was working well and they remained “hopeful” that flooding would not affect Dublin city.

Asked if the city is likely to flood, he said: “The situation is being monitored by the city council. One would be hopeful, but I’m not in a position to give definite information. I suspect that the worst has passed in terms of the weather.”

Areas around the Shannon remain a concern, while the emergency group expects it will be “some time before water recedes in south Galway”. Mr Hogan said: “We are looking at a longer term problem with the Shannon catchment. We would have said that based on history, we are looking at two to three weeks for water levels around the Shannon to return to normal levels.”