Home / Disasters and Accidents / Ireland Braces for More Floods as Storm Chandra Aftermath Continues
Ireland Braces for More Floods as Storm Chandra Aftermath Continues
29 Jan
Summary
- Heavy rain forecast over the bank holiday weekend threatens more flooding.
- Residents in Aughrim and Enniscorthy face ongoing clean-up after Storm Chandra.
- Government offers emergency payments for flood-affected properties and businesses.
Residents across Ireland are being urged to prepare for potential flooding as the bank holiday weekend is expected to bring further heavy rainfall. This warning comes as clean-up efforts continue in areas severely impacted by Storm Chandra, including Enniscorthy, Aughrim, and parts of South Dublin.
Minister of State Kevin 'Boxer' Moran visited flood-damaged sites, acknowledging the distress of homeowners like Elaine Byrne, whose home was inundated. Ms. Byrne described the "horrendous" experience of water flooding her house, resulting in the loss of most of her belongings. She highlighted the urgent need for drastic government action and expressed fear of future events.
The National Emergency Coordination Group has cautioned that localized flooding remains a risk due to saturated ground and high river levels, particularly in the east, north-east, and south-east of the country. The government has confirmed the availability of an Emergency Response Payment for individuals and the Emergency Humanitarian Flooding Scheme for businesses.
Extreme weather disruptions earlier in the week included traffic chaos, power outages affecting up to 20,000 properties, and school closures in Northern Ireland. Unions are also calling for 'climate leave' provisions for workers unable to travel or needing to attend to home emergencies due to severe weather.
