Storm Bert Causes Flooding and Travel Chaos

Storm Bert led to the inundation of several residences in counties Down and Tyrone on Saturday, after prolonged periods of intense rainfall and strong winds. In Dundonald, some inhabitants found themselves confined to their properties by floodwaters on Saturday, concurrently, an estimated maximum of 10 dwellings in Coalisland might have experienced flooding. Subsequently, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons initiated an emergency financial assistance program. This initiative allows homeowners who have endured “severe inconvenience” due to flooding to apply for a £1,000 payment via their respective local council. Significant disruptions to travel also occurred, as roadways and railway networks were impacted by flood water, downed trees, and various debris. During the storm’s peak, as many as 6,500 individuals in Northern Ireland experienced power outages; however, by 22:00 GMT, the number of people without electricity had decreased to fewer than 200. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) reported receiving 85 calls concerning flooding between 08:00 and 13:30 on Saturday. Emergency services aided ten individuals trapped in vehicles by flood water, and an additional person was rescued from a river in Antrim. Three fire appliances were dispatched to Park Avenue in Dundonald; however, some residents became stranded when water inundated the ground floors of their homes. Sarah Kirkwood, a resident, evacuated her residence after waking around 07:00 GMT on Saturday to observe the street’s water level increasing. She subsequently contacted the Department for Infrastructure’s (DfI) flood incident helpline to request sandbags. She informed BBC News NI, “I made them aware of the situation in the street, the water was coming up the manholes.” Ms Kirkwood clarified that while the locality was susceptible to flooding, her property had not previously been affected by water intrusion. She further stated, “It comes about halfway up the street every year and they’ve been doing works… so we thought it was all in hand.” Upon returning after obtaining sandbags, Ms Kirkwood discovered her property had flooded, causing her considerable frustration. Notwithstanding these developments, Ms Kirkwood expressed that she feels “fortunate” to have relatives with whom she can reside while the damage to her home is addressed. It has been confirmed that temporary housing has been arranged for individuals who cannot re-enter their residences. Concurrently, dwellings at Kings Row, Coalisland, also experienced impacts. Mid Ulster councillor Dan Kerr informed BBC News NI that he had received communications from three or four residents whose homes had been inundated. He reported that firefighters and personnel from the Rivers Agency responded to the location, and sandbags were obtained from a nearby Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club. NIFRS Group Commander Danny Ard indicated that the count of flooded properties might reach 10, but firefighters were unable to verify a definitive number until the water levels subsided. Mr Ard further mentioned that a mail distribution centre situated in Mallusk, Newtownabbey, had also been affected by flooding. Three pumping appliances and a single high-volume pump were deployed to remove the water. On-site report: Residents were confined by Linzi Lima, BBC News NI reporter in Dundonald Firefighters extracted water at Park Avenue, where several residents were unable to exit their homes. Among these individuals were Kelly Kitchen’s son and his partner. Kelly stated that her son informed her he awoke this morning after 09:00 to discover his house had been flooded and he was unable to depart. Footage from his residence depicted a refrigerator adrift in the kitchen and approximately two feet of murky water covering the ground floor. During the operation, certain residents sought refuge in a nearby church hall to remain warm and dry. Translink, the public transport operator, announced that the railway route connecting Belfast and Antrim, which had been temporarily closed, has since resumed operation, as has the line between Belfast and Dublin. Northern Ireland’s most powerful winds, reaching 67mph, were registered in Ballypatrick, County Antrim, concurrently, Derrylin in County Fermanagh experienced a quarter of its typical November rainfall within a 12-hour overnight period. Previously, the TrafficWatchNI service had indicated “very difficult driving conditions” in elevated regions such as the Glenshane Pass, Windyhill Road in Limavady, and Glenpark Road, Omagh. A gritter vehicle became stuck in snow on the Coleraine Mountain Road, which also saw a temporary closure. Furthermore: Translink provides a comprehensive list of its affected bus and rail services on its official website. Met Éireann (the Irish Meteorological Service) had previously issued red warnings for intense rainfall in west Cork and west Galway, but these alerts have since been withdrawn. In the Republic of Ireland, ESB Networks reported that approximately 6,000 customers were still without electricity at 22:30 local time, subsequent to the storm. Online images suggested that the River Feale in west Limerick had overflowed its banks. County Donegal experienced significant flooding on Bridge Street in Killybegs, where clean-up operations have been underway. This county was among the most severely impacted by power outages, and the strongest wind gust documented on the island of Ireland, measuring 71mph (114kph), occurred at Malin Head within the same county. A status yellow wind warning remains active for Carlow, Cork, Kerry, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford, and Wicklow until 02:00 local time on Sunday. Further strong winds anticipated by BBC News NI weather presenter Cecelia Daly Storm Bert’s impact is not yet concluded. A new wave of powerful winds is expected to emerge on Sunday, and the Met Office has issued a yellow warning for strong winds, effective from 11:00 to 18:00 GMT on Sunday. Wind intensity notably decreased on Saturday afternoon, but is projected to strengthen once more overnight. The preceding heavy rainfall, coupled with melting snow, has resulted in widespread flooding as rivers overflowed. Flooding will persist as a risk as the snowmelt continues to contribute to the river system. The Met Office stated: “Strong south-westerly winds are expected to develop during Sunday morning across Northern Ireland. Gusts of 45-55 mph are expected widely with gusts of up 65 mph possible over hills and exposed locations around the coast.” The peak wind gusts are anticipated to be comparable to those experienced on Saturday, potentially leading to additional damage and interruptions.