Shannon still filling with floodwater, Athlone down to Limerick in danger from peak levels at weekend

By Elaine Loughlin

Areas along the Shannon are still at a high risk of flooding with water levels predicted to keep rising in the coming days.

The National Coordination Group, which met again today, has warned that areas from Athlone down to Limerick may face flooding as peak water levels will not be seen until the weekend.

Some water treatment stations have been closed or impacted by floods while the ESB has been forced to release more water from its dams and weirs which may cause floods in the coming days.

Sean Hogan chair National Coordination Group said: “The biggest catchment area is the Shannon catchment and it’s a slow catchment, it’s filling and will continue to rise and may not peak until later in the week.

“So obviously people in that area, who are in vulnerable areas along the Shannon, are still at risk of flooding, that’s the message.”

He warned drivers to exercise caution on the roads in the coming days.

He said: "Unfortunately since we met yesterday a fatality has been reported.

“As the river levels are falling and some of them are falling quite rapidly around the country we do expect the situation on the road to improve significantly in the days immediately ahead there is a real danger that the sides of roads may have collapsed so there is still the danger to people driving."