Flooding fears after whiteout
Red alert status extended Metre of snow set to fall Coldest March day ever
THERE are major flooding fears from high tides and melting snow as the State emerges from lockdown today.
A red weather warning was extended until 6pm today, with up to a metre of snow forecast to fall across east Wicklow and south Dublin overnight – leading to a heightened risk of “shocking” flooding.
The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) said Dublin, Cork and Limerick could be hit with flooding from high tides and storm surges, with major concerns about melting snow. “Depending on how the meltwater happens, [it] is a concern,” NECG chairman Sean Hogan told the Irish Inde- pendent. “If it melts in a rush, you’ll get shocking flooding.”
Most public transport services are suspended, airports are closed, and ferry sailings are cancelled as Storm Emma continues to wreak havoc.
The ESB was forced to restore power to thousands of homes yesterday – the coldest March day ever recorded – and Irish Water issued boil-water notices as valves froze, leading to fears that drinking water was not properly treated.
Met Éireann is forecasting cold and windy conditions today with further snow accumulating. But forecaster Evelyn Cusack warned: “There’s a high degree of uncertainty as to how this storm system will behave.”
MAJOR fears of flooding across the country have emerged as the State enters another day of lockdown as the full force of Storm Emma strikes.
Up to a metre of snow was expected to fall in the East Wicklow mountains and south Dublin overnight – and emergency bosses said there could be continuous snow for 24 hours across parts of the south and east.
The National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) has expressed concern that major cities including Dublin, Cork and Limerick could be hit with flooding due to high spring tides, coupled with surges from Storm Emma. There are also major concerns about melting snow.
“We don’t think tidal flooding in Cork is going to be a big issue [today], but there may be some water on the streets,” NECG chairman Sean Hogan told the Irish Independent last night.
But he added: “Depending on how the meltwater happens is a concern. If it melts in a rush, you’ll get shocking flooding, probably. If it’s over a longer period, it just runs away. The expectation is this will go on longer in the east and south than the west. You could have 24 hours of snow in the east.”
The Office of Public Works (OPW) is monitoring sea levels, and a high tide advisory is in place until Monday.
“The highest tides will be on Friday and Saturday, especially the first tides,” spokesman Jim Casey said, adding the most at-risk areas were Cork city and harbour, low-lying areas on the Cork and Waterford county coastlines, Dundalk, Dublin, Wexford Harbour, Wicklow, the Shannon Estuary, and Limerick City.
“The critical time [today] is high water at 5.30am in Cork harbour and city, 11.30am in Dundalk, 7am in Wexford, the Shannon Estuary, and Limerick,” he added.
ESB crews were forced to restore power to almost 4,000 households as blizzard-like conditions struck the south coast from 4pm, with Irish Water forced to issue precautionary