Coastal communities assessing flood damage

COASTAL communities were today waking up to see if the overnight flooding predicted by forecasters would bring the destruction feared.

Swells of up to 10 metres were due on southern and south-western coasts last night with up to 30mm of rain across the country, prompting Met Éireann to issue a weather warning. Force 10 winds were also predicted overnight.

By late evening, a bus containing college students collided with a van in bad weather killing the two drivers and injuring 10 more outside Tuam, Co Galway.

Across the country, the Defence Forces and local authorities were on standby, with winds gusting at around 100km/h by early evening in the west. The worst of the rain was expected late last night and early this morning.

Met Éireann said the combination of high tides, strong winds and low pressure could cause coastal flooding.

“The main feature is the tidal conditions at the moment. What’s really causing the problems would be the pressure and the high tides. That will obviously only be in coastal areas,” said meteorologist Joan Blackburn.

AA Roadwatch and the Road Safety Authority appealed to drivers to take particular care and warned that crosswinds are likely to be a hazard.

Dublin City Council distributed over 500 sandbags around Clontarf and Sandymount, where seafront car-parks remained closed early today. High tide is expected at noon today and emergency services are on high alert.

Cork City Council and Clare County Council expected a tidal surge to put low-lying parts at serious risk. Roads were expected to be impassable in areas of Galway, Mayo and Donegal.

Galway City Council set up a safety barrier on the quay at the Spanish Arch and warned of flooding on the Docks and Raven Terrace.

Roads were closed and car parks cleared in anticipation of high tides but the early evening tide did not bring significant flooding.

The defence forces said they had equipment, boats, aircraft and personnel on standby to help.

West Cork senator Michael McCarthy, Labour’s marine spokesman, said coastal communities feel particularly vulnerable to “lethal weather”. “The Government and local authorities must prepare for the worst,” he said.