Galway Fire Service crews, gardaí and Galway County Council staff have been assisting residents and businesses in the town after the Owenglen river burst its banks.
Serious water in Clifden this morning after last nights rain. #Clifden #Connemara #HurricaneLaura #Ireland pic.twitter.com/qCjfxSJUzi
Advertisement— Michael Coyne 🇺🇦 Micheál Ó Cadhain (@CoynesGastropub) September 2, 2020
The Clifden Glen holiday village was evacuated, as were a number of houses near the Station House Hotel in the town.
Gardaí advised Scoil Mhuire and Clifden Community School to close, due to the deteriorating weather conditions – with a yellow rainfall warning issued by Met Éireann for Connacht.
Serious flooding in #Clifden this morning. Emergency services are evacuating people from their homes, and there's now concern for the bridges. The roar and power of the river is increadable. pic.twitter.com/bUprjxPFpP
— Maud McEvoy (@WheresMaudGonne) September 2, 2020
The N59 at Kylemore and a stretch of road between Maam Cross and Recess were impassable earlier, with one lane from Maam Cross west re-opening to traffic from mid-morning.
The route from Clifden to Ballyconnelly was also closed after heavy flooding.
Abbeyglen Castle Hotel manager Brian Hughes told RTÉ Radio 1 said that there was a “deluge of rain coming down the Owenglen river” from early Wednesday morning.
Mr Hughes said he had lived in Clifden all his life, and had never seen the river burst its banks in this way.
Gardaí have warned motorists to slow down and to avoid the affected areas if possible.
