Ireland to remain on flood alert for 72 hours as Storm Chandra wreaks havoc in part of country

"Parts of Ireland will remain on flood alert as further rainfall is expected over the next 72 hours after Storm Chandra battered the country. There was near-record flooding on the east coast, which caused millions of euro worth of property damage and left parts of a Wexford town effectively cut off. Gardaí, fire brigade units, council staff and the Civil Defence were deployed in parts of Dublin, Wexford, Wicklow, Waterford and Kilkenny as torrential rainfall resulted in rivers breaking their banks and flood defences being overwhelmed."

"The worst hit areas were the Dodder River in Dublin and Slaney River in Wexford, where flooding was described as the most serious for more than 30 years. The River Fane in Co Louth broke its banks, and hundreds of acres of farmland in Cork and Waterford are under flood waters from the River Blackwater. Flooding also forced the closure of roads in Cavan, Monaghan and Carlow."

"Enniscorthy in Co Wexford was effectively cut off by flood waters from the River Slaney as the town suffered its 16th bout of flooding in the past 25 years. An estimated 60mm of rainfall fell in parts of Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin in less than 12 hours. More than 80mm of rainfall was recorded at Katesbridge in Co Down in the space of just 24 hours."

Parts of Ireland remain on flood alert with more rainfall expected over the next 72 hours after Storm Chandra. Torrential rain produced near‑record flooding on the east coast, causing millions of euro in property damage and isolating parts of a Wexford town. Gardaí, fire brigades, council staff and the Civil Defence were deployed across Dublin, Wexford, Wicklow, Waterford and Kilkenny as rivers broke banks and flood defences were overwhelmed. The Dodder and Slaney rivers were among the worst hit, with the River Fane and River Blackwater also flooding farmland and forcing road closures in multiple counties.

Read at Irish Independent