After the freeze

AFTER the freeze, the rain and winds are on the way back.

While the thaw will bring a welcome relief to motorists and air travellers, it is also expected to herald another bout of severe flooding in coastal and low-lying areas of the country.

As Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe allowed schools to reopen in the light of rising temperatures, Met Éireann forecast a return to heavy rainfall. Already one council has called on the army to assist with what are expected to be extensive mop-up operations as floods and melting snow combine to cause havoc.