Galway battens down the hatches with more floods on the way

Galway is bracing itself for worse flooding yet to come with the Shannon and Clare Rivers yet to peak in the aftermath of Storm Desmond.

As the cleanup began in Craughwell, where the Dunkellin burst its banks – and floods remaining steady in Ballinalsoe where up to six families have been forced from their homes – the misery could just be starting for another swathe of the county.

The army, council staff and civil defence – as well as local communities – are turning their attention to fighting against the rising tide around Portumna, Claregalway and Headford with extensive sandbagging taking place at all properties in the firing line of the water.

At the time of going to print, ten premises had flooded in Ballinasloe, six of them houses, with a further dozen under water, mainly in the Gort and Craughwell areas. There were another two dozen properties being closely watched by the authorities as Met Éireann issued two yellow alerts for Connacht for wind and rain. Thousands of acres remain under water.

While the worst appears to be over for the hinterland around Gort and Craughwell, there were still lengthy detours for motorists forced to avoid a vast network of minor roads.

PRESS PLAY ▻ TO VIEW THE FLOODING VIDEO ABOVE. VIDEO BY JOE O’SHAUGHNESSY

Some 50 roads are still closed, with just ten opened since the weekend. However Galway County Council staff have so far managed to keep all the national routes open accessing Clifden, Headford, Tuam, Abbeyknockmoy and Clarinbridge.

But that may change in the next 24 hours, admits Liam Gavin, director of services for roads and transportation in Galway County Council.

“Anywhere around the Clare River is of concern – Carnmore, Corofin, Claregalway, the Curraline on the Headford Road side of Clonboo, Lisheenavalla towards the Monivea Road and Muinteagh,” he stated.

“The peak flow hasn’t come through yet on the Clare River and levels are very high currently.

“Another problem is in the east of the county at Ballinasloe. The River Suck comes down from Ballygar past Ahascragh, where it’s dropping, but it’s holding steady in Ballinasloe. We don’t know yet the impact a rising River Shannon will have on the River Suck.”

See full coverage in this week’s Connacht Tribune.