Northern Ireland prepares for Storm Babet as chaos hits Cork

Northern Ireland is bracing itself for Storm Babet as Cork has been hit with heavy rain.

The heavy rain is expected to arrive in Northern Ireland soon with a month’s worth of rain expected in one day.

Our weather reporter Aisling Creevey said: "The storm system unusually has easterly winds, which means eastern slopes are likely to experience the highest rainfall totals. Counties Antrim and Down as well as areas surrounding the Sperrin Mountains are likely to see the highest of the rainfall totals.

There are usually very strong winds associated with storm systems that cross Northern Ireland and while there has been wind gusts of up to 50mph already, it is the amount of rainfall that is of concern."

With waves seen crashing in Newcastle Co Down its clear to see Storm Babet is intensifying.

Flooding has caused damage and disruption in some parts of Ireland as Storm Babet hit Cork.

Roads and several properties were swamped in certain areas, with Cork city and the surrounding county among the places worst affected.

The town of Midleton in Co Cork was impassable to traffic on Wednesday afternoon due to flooded roads.

Five counties on the south and south east coasts of Ireland were subject to orange rain warnings on Wednesday.

The orange warning issued by forecaster Met Eireann for counties Cork and Kerry ended at 1pm, for Waterford at 4pm, while it remained in place for Wexford and Wicklow until 8pm as the storm tracked northward.

Euan Whelton, 21 from the village of Glandore, in Co Cork said he has not seen flooding “this bad” in 10 years.

Mr Whelton, an agriculture worker, said the Skibbereen Fire Brigade pumped water from the area for “five or six hours” on Tuesday but said it remained underwater on Wednesday afternoon.

He said that the harbour village was “closed down” in 2013 due to heavy flooding and said: “I would say in 10 years it hasn’t been this bad."

He added: “There were a few houses down there that were flooded, there was probably a foot or two of water inside the houses.

“There was a riverbank burst and it flooded on the houses down there, there was a high tide as well so it was hard to get the water out.

“The fire brigade was there for probably five or six hours pumping it out but it’s still all underwater at the moment (Wednesday afternoon).”

Mr Whelton added that in one of his cousin’s houses, the water was “coming in the back door and going straight out the front door”.

Co Cork mayor Frank O’Flynn said "one month’s worth of rain had fallen in 24 hours."

“This is on top of already saturated lands and high river levels,” he said.“It is evidence, if any were needed, of our changing climate and the issues that it presents.“

"I am especially conscious of the advanced preparations that were undertaken by Cork County Council in mitigating the effects of this event and how, despite every effort, homes, businesses and road users have been impacted.

Areas where flood defence schemes have been completed fared far better than others in the face of this deluge:

“I know from speaking with council staff that some of the issues they are dealing with are unprecedented, with roads which have never flooded now under water.

"I am calling on the people of Cork to please avoid unnecessary travel, take extreme care if you must set off on a journey and please think of vulnerable road users, especially pedestrians and cyclists.

"As a council, we will continue to work across the county, both in a preventative capacity while also dealing with issues as they arise.

"The results of this weather event will be long felt as we move toward a clean up phase but can I please reiterate the importance of staying safe and together we will come through this weather event.”

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