Published: Thursday, 26th November, 2009 6:00pm
Over 100 local homes evacuated due to record flooding
by Adrian Cusack
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In excess of 100 homes have had to be evacuated in the Athlone area after it was hit by record levels of flooding over the last week.
Over 50 houses were flooded in Athlone town, while at least as many were affected in rural areas on its outskirts and in parts of South Roscommon.
Councils in Athlone and Roscommon implemented emergency measures to deal with the crisis, rehousing a number of residents in hotels, B&Bs and apartments.
In one of the local rescue operations the Army provided assistance in rehousing a 90-year-old woman from the Carrickobrien area on Sunday, while 13 people had to be removed from their flooded homes in Carricknaughten, Clonown, that evening.
In Athlone, the Town Council said this week that Parnell Square, Burgess Park, Deerpark Road, the Canal Walk, Iona Villas, the Docks, Clonown Road and Accommodation Road were among the areas worst affected by the current flooding on the west side, while The Strand, Wolfe Tone Terrace, Carrickobrien, Clonbonny, Ballygowlan, Portlick and Muckanagh were most impacted on the eastern side of the bridge.
Major flooding incidents occurred in Athlone in 1915, 1925, 1954 and 2000, but Waterways Ireland said that the water levels this week were significantly higher than anything previously recorded in the area.
