LATEST: Towns on flood alert as Met Éireann issues new weather warning
The National Emergency Co-ordination group says the country remains at risk for severe flooding.
At the group's briefing this afternoon, Met Éireann warned that even a 'normal' amount of rainfall could cause further flooding in certain areas.
Clare County Council says water levels on the Lower River Shannon at Springfield, Clonlara, dropped slightly overnight and are now two inches below the peak flood level of 2009.
Clare County Council Area staff, assisted by Clare County Fire & Rescue Service, The Defence Forces and Clare Civil Defence, are continuing to provide support on the ground in Springfield, as well as assist in the transportation of residents of eight properties isolated by floodwaters.
Some organisations have Super Sundays......sadly yours may just be soggy. Phil pic.twitter.com/rDDGeU6GSS
— BBC Weather (@bbcweather) January 3, 2016
Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine and Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney is visiting Springfield today.
Taking the boat in Clonlara Minister Coveney visits flooded homes in Co.Clare pic.twitter.com/eZi7ebGxaP
— Cathy Halloran (@HalloranCathy) January 3, 2016
Minister Simon Coveney meeting irate and fatigued householders in Clonlara pic.twitter.com/kf9AEYNBzr
— Cathy Halloran (@HalloranCathy) January 3, 2016
Limerick City and County Council says water levels on the Lower River Shannon at Castleconnell have increased by half an inch during the past 24 hours.
Water levels on the Mulkear River rose to three metres during Saturday but have since dropped to 2.7m. Minor road flooding occurred during Saturday but all roads have since reopened.
The Council has deployed additional pumps to Castleconnell and Montpelier. Flood defences are being maintained at other flood prone locations.
The ESB is maintaining the spill rate at Parteen Weir at 470 cubic metres per second (cumecs) during today and will review the situation on Monday morning.
A number of towns around the country remain on flood alert and some roads remain impassable this morning as another band of heavy rain crosses the country.
A Status Yellow alert is in place for Cork and Kerry with up to 40 millimetres of rainfall forecast.
The warning remains in effect until midnight tonight.
In Athlone, there are concerns for 100 homes as the River Shannon reaches record water levels.
In Clonmel, Tipperary County Council evacuated homes in the Kilganey area last night over fears the River Suir is close to bursting its banks.
https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/683584264277999616
River Suir from Gashouse Bridge in #Clonmel this morning #floods #Tipp #news pic.twitter.com/sSosS59ZSi /via @TippFmNews
— Irish Weather News (@iWeatherNews) January 3, 2016
However, the Council's crisis management team said that water levels are stabilising, after overnight rainfall was not as heavy as expected.
CORK/ WATERFORD:Reports Clonmel/ Youghal Rd (R671)impassable at Clashmore. Avoid the area if possible.https://t.co/xIOpAblVS1
— The AA Ireland (@aaroadwatch) January 3, 2016
Fine Gael Councillor for Clonmel, Michael Murphy, said that the community has really pulled together.
"I've seen the community working incredibly well together," he said.
"Working with … members of the Local Authority, members of An Garda Síochána, members of the Civil Defence, the Fire Brigade Services.
"It's just incredible the work that people are doing outside of normal working hours, and were it not for that, I suppose, 'team effort', yes, the mood would be fairly low."
