CONNACHT:AS THE west coast faced further storm-force 10 winds and more rain last night, there were calls for south and east Galway to be declared an emergency disaster zone due to increased levels of flooding.
The villages of Kiltartan in south Galway and Skehana in northeast Galway were among a number of rural areas seriously affected, with up to 2.2 metres of water in Kiltartan church.
Portumna bridge has also been closed due to flooding on the Shannon, which has affected the entire river basin area from Leitrim and Roscommon down to Clare and Limerick, while water levels in Gort, south Galway, and surrounding turlough areas are still high.
Galway County Council has advised householders to leave the worst-affected areas. As relief efforts continued throughout yesterday, county manager Martina Moloney said she believed up to 1,300 square miles in the east of the county had felt the impact of the floods.
This included some 65 roads which are closed and another 40 roads flooded or passable, while there is also concern about the safety of bridges in areas like Portumna and Claregalway.
Council engineers were planning to reopen the main bridge over the river Suck in Ballinasloe last night, but for local traffic only. The town’s River Street and the Derrymullen area of the town are still badly affected by flooding.
The council’s priorities are to safeguard public health, evacuate families in flooded areas and work to keep transport links open, Ms Moloney said.
St Vincent de Paul says it has been “overwhelmed” by offers of assistance for up to 200 families affected by floods in Ballinasloe, and says it cannot take any more material until it arranges storage.
In Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim, rising waters flooded the sewer network as traders and householders battled with sandbags to keep their properties safe.
Some businesses have been forced to close in Carrick and in Leitrim village, which remains impassable.
Leitrim County Council said contamination from the sewers in Carrick would be highly diluted, presenting “a low risk to health”.
The council also moved yesterday to counter rumours which had sparked concern in Carrick, Drumshanbo and Leitrim that the ESB was planning to release water at Lough Allen, thus increasing flood levels.
The council said it had been assured by the ESB that no such action was planned “at this time”.
Roscommon County Council has issued a precautionary boil water notice in Castlerea and surrounding areas, due to detection of low levels of cryptosporidium in the water supply.
It has also issued a precautionary boil water notice for Four Roads/Mount Talbot.
More than a dozen people required assistance to leave their homes in Co Roscommon, the county’s flood incident team said.