WATCH - Footage showing severe flooding on the River Shannon
Flooded fields around the Shannon - photo by the Irish Daily Mirror
These are the shocking pictures showing the devastation caused by floodwater from the River Shannon.
Residents of Golden Island in Athlone have put up with the flooding for years, but many fear their homes and farms could soon fall victim to the waters once again.
Local woman Patricia Byrne told the Irish Mirror: “It’s a real worry, it’s a headache.”
But for those who live in the townland, the problem is nothing new.
Ms Byrne said: “It’s terrible to look at, it really is.
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“When the floods aren’t here, you can’t even see the Shannon. It’s lovely in the summer but what can you do.
“It’s really only sandbags and pumping that you can do. In 2009, there was 18 inches inside the house and 2015 was bad too.
“People don’t realise when you see a flood that septic tanks and everything are affected.
“It’s been getting worse since 2009. The flood now is dangerous for a lot of places. It’s a real worry, it’s a headache.”
The car park at Carrick Retail Park in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim is closed off due to flooding on Friday
It said that it will continue to monitor the impact that rainfall, both recent and forecast, will have on the water levels on the Shannon in the area.
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Farmer Doreen Finneran, who also lives in Golden Island, said the floods this year have came late but they are already damaging the land.
The 56-year-old said: “It should be December when you see it [the flood].The farm is going to be destroyed, the turf is going to be all gone. I’m here 32 years. In 1989 I remember it was so bad that we had to take tractors in work.
“In 2015, the army had to bring the children and residents out in a back of the truck to get groceries.
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LATEST WEATHER WARNINGS
STATUS YELLOW - RAINFALL WARNING FOR DONEGAL, LEITRIM, MAYO AND SLIGO
25 to 35mm of rain expected during the period.
As the ground is saturated at the moment and river levels are elevated the forecast rainfall may lead to some localised surface and river flooding.
Valid: 03:00 Friday 21/02/2020 to 03:00 Saturday 22/02/2020
Issued: 10:00 Thursday 20/02/2020
Warning issued by Met Eireann
STATUS YELLOW - RAINFALL WARNING FOR DERRY, FERMANAGH AND TYRONE
Persistent, and at times heavy, rain will develop early on Friday and continue until late afternoon or evening. Accumulations of 15 to 25 mm are likely quite widely and in a few places, such as across the western Sperrins, 30 to 40 mm of rain could fall. This is also likely to be combined with some snow melt over high ground. Conditions will also be windy.
Valid: 06:00 Friday 21/02/2020 to 21:00 Friday 21/02/2020
Issued: 09:17 Thursday 20/02/2020
STATUS YELLOW - WIND WARNING FOR DONEGAL
Southwesterly winds will reach mean speeds of 50 to 65 km/h, with gusts of 90 to 110 km/h possibly higher in exposed coastal areas.
Valid: 06:00 Saturday 22/02/2020 to 20:00 Saturday 22/02/2020
Issued: 16:00 Friday 21/02/2020
Warning issued by Met Eireann
STATUS YELLOW - WIND WARNING FOR ANTRIM, DERRY, FERMANAGH AND TYRONE
Strong, gusty winds are expected across Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England during Saturday. The strongest winds will likely occur in the vicinity of heavy, squally showers. Whilst not all areas will see the strongest winds, gusts of 50-60 mph are expected in places. Exposed parts of northern and western Scotland may see gusts of 65-75 mph. Showers will fall as a mixture of rain, hail and sleet with snow accumulations expected to be mainly higher ground (above 200 to 300 m). Winds will gradually moderate during Saturday evening.
Valid: Saturday 22/02/2020 to 22:00 Saturday 22/02/2020
Issued: 09:56hrs Friday 21/02/2020
Warning issued by the Met Office UK
STATUS YELLOW - RAINFALL WARNING FOR CONNACHT, CAVAN, MONAGHAN, DONEGAL, LONGFORD, LOUTH, OFFALY, WESTMEATH, MEATH, CLARE AND TIPPERARY
Rain on Sunday night into Monday morning will lead to accumulations of between 20 to 25mm quite widely, with higher totals possible in upland areas.
The rain is likely to be preceded by a period of snow in parts of Connacht, Ulster and north Leinster, before turning to rain later in the night.
As the ground is saturated at the moment and river levels are elevated the combined effect of rainfall and snow melt may lead to some localised surface and river flooding.
Valid: 20:00 Sunday 23/02/2020 to 08:00 Monday 24/02/2020
Issued: 12:00 Saturday 22/02/2020
Warnin issued by Met Éireann
Kenneth from the Donegal Weather Channel
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