An underwater farm near Ballyhaunis, County Mayo. Photo by Jamie Martin, Irish Air Corps.
By Irish Echo Staff
Large areas of Ireland are under water today after the deluge that was Storm Desmond.
And in many areas the flooding has yet to peak.
In Athlone, County Westmeath, the River Shannon is running six feet higher than normal and flooding has resulted in sewage on the streets of the town.
More than 300 army troops have been deployed on frontline flood relief duties since last Saturday, the Irish Independent reported.
So far, the army has been involved in rescuing people stranded in their homes in isolated areas and moving them to more secure locations as well as sandbagging houses and business premises and assisting local authorities with flood defense measures.
Further detachments of personnel, including specialist engineer units, were on standby late last night and ready at immediate notice to be drafted into flashpoint centers in counties Donegal, Galway, Westmeath, Limerick and Cork, the report stated.
The Irish Examiner reported that people are being encouraged to remain vigilant as flooding on roads and high waves along coastal areas remain a risk to safety across the country.
With water levels still increasing along the River Shannon and in other areas, many homes and businesses are still at risk of flooding in the coming days, the report said.
Meanwhile, the government is finalizing the details of a €5 million fund for businesses which have been hit by flooding and may not have been able to secure insurance because of where they are situated in flood prone areas.
Minister Simon Coveney, whose portfolio covers both defense and agriculture, is expected to give details on the application process and the caps on claims which can be made through the scheme.
The forecast for the coming weekend includes more rain, quite a bit of it in some parts.
“The further outlook is for continued unsettled weather,” was the concluding line in the Met Eireann, the Irish meteorological service, online forecast for the next few days.
