Cork city water turned off 'for at least a week'

Eighteen thousand homes in Cork city will be without a supply of drinking water until at least next weekend after a treatment plant was overpowered and damaged by yesterday's flooding.

People living in affected areas on the northside are being told to get water supplies at a series of emergency tankers dotted across the city.

Cork city manager Joe Gavin described what happened to the Lee Road treatment plant as "unprecedented".

The army has been drafted in to help provide drinking water at a number of locations across Cork's northside, which is the worst affected.

Schools without water have been told to close, while the City Council has appealed to people's "community spirit" in areas with water to assist households in difficulty.

Water tankers to provide an emergency supply are located in:

Ballyvolane Shopping Centre

Blackpool Shopping Centre

Hollyhill Shopping Centre

St Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital, Gurranabraher

Nemo Rangers GAA, South Douglas Road