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16.6mm rain in six hours
25.08.09
Torrential rain and
flash floods hit Inishowen
PARTS of Inishowen came under siege on Sunday as
flash floods struck the area leaving roads cut off
and some homes under threat.
While rain fell for a solid six hours all over the
peninsula, Moville and Greencastle took the brunt of
the deluge.
A whopping 16.6mm of rain fell from midday until 6pm
on Sunday, according to Malin Head Meteorological
Office.
"That was a lot of rain. Even 1mm of rain for that
six hour period would have been excessive," said
meteorological officer, Donal Black. "It was
definitely one of the highest one-day rainfalls in
Inishowen this year." However, it was the torrential
downpour in Greencastle/Moville that started around
12.30pm and lasted for a solid ten minutes that had
everyone talking. |
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Donegal County Council
workers were called out to areas such as Poundtown
on Greencastle's Upper Road where dips in the road
were left under several feet of water. As the
problem worsened and the water deepened, traffic
diversions were put in place.
Parts of Moville's scenic Shore Green were affected
while the landmark stone steps resembled a garden
water feature as gallons of water tumbled over them
for hours from the higher ground. The seaside Shore
Path was left under water in some places but
remained mostly passable. Some of the tarmacadam
walkways, however, were washed away in parts.
Senior local authority roads engineer Jim McLaughlin
said Moville and Greencastle fared worst during
Sunday's deluge.
"Greencastle and Moville definitely appeared to have
suffered the worst of the flash floods. The problem
is that the water on Moville's higher ground flows
downwards to the Foyle and passes over a couple of
the roads along the way especially the Upper Road to
Shroove and the Lower Road to Shroove."
Mr McLaughlin, who was due in Greencastle for an
inspection yesterday afternoon, said the local
authority's Housing Section was also put on alert as
the water levels rose on sections of driveway around
St Peter's and St Paul's housing estates. It is
understood, however, that no significant damage was
reported. |
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