SEVERE RAINFALL AND HIGH WINDS CAUSE MAJOR FLOODING
RESIDENTS FORCED TO EVACUATE HOMES ON ARDEE ROAD AS ARMY CALLED IN TO HELP FIRE SERVICE
November 2000
Torrential rainfall causes localised flooding and treacherous driving conditions following several days of unprecedented weather conditions.
Dundalk fire service encounters significant problems when houses on the Ardee Road are completely flooded by up to two feet of water, with other residents unable to get in or out of their homes without assistance of fire personnel.
Despite all of their best efforts some people are forced to evacuate as water pours into their houses.
‘We are facing an extremely difficult job here, but members of the army have been on hand to help us clear furniture,’ says fire officer Tom Donegan.
He adds there are growing fears the Ardee Road may become impassable.
Although the rains stops, flooding continues. Water is back-logged in fields behind the affected houses and attempts are being made to draint it away.
‘It may be at least another day or two before we are able to get matters under control. It hasn’t got any worse but neither has it improved,’ Mr Donegan continues.
Meanwhile, Dundalk gardaí advise motorists to exercise caution in the Mounthamilton area and warn drivers of heavy goods vehicles to avoid the route altogether.
In Carlingford, winds gusting at more than 60mph cause an ariculated lorry to be blown off the road. The driver, not thought to be suffering from severe injuries, is taken to hospital by ambulance.
Commuters are among the hardest-hit and despite warnings not to travel unless absolutely essential many venture out with varying degrees of success.
Cars on Red Barns Road in Dundalk are forced to come to a virtual stop before attempting to make their way through floods.
In Bay Estate one driver’s engine stalls in the floodwater and the car has to be pushed off the road with the help of passers-by.
Hoey’s Lane approaching Dundalk Institute of Technology is in a bad way, causing difficulty for traffic.
Quay Celtic FC’s ground at Clancy Park resembles a lake in parts; while public transport services from Dundalk are all but cancelled.
The Dublin-Belfast rail service is disrupted when a tree falls on the line in Skerries, resulting in delays for people getting to work in the city.
In Blackrock, residents living facing the promenade use sandbags to protect their homes but the village appears to escape the worst of it.
On the Carrick Road out of Dundalk one of many blackspots is the turn for Kilkerley where over half the road is impassable.
In the north of the county roads at Lordship are are almost completely blocked, while water pours into fields either aid of the main road to Carlingford. On the same stretch between Bellurgan and Rockmarshall the flooding is particularly evident.
Louth county council is inundated with calls from residents and motorists reporting flooding as a consequence of torrential rainfall, though as the situation improves most roads are becoming passable. Nevertheless, engineers advise people to avoid unnecessary travel.
Two houses in Dromiskin are reported flooded.