As Cork flooded, for the third time in a week, one daring Dungarvan man took to the streets...for a swim.
The as-of-yet unknown individual, believed to be from Dungarvan, County Waterford may be one of the first individuals in Leeside history to swim down Winthrop Street, a popular city centre locale.
The daring feat came as the city experienced another cascade of water with the morning high tide shortly before eight this morning forcing water onto the streets of the low-lying city center.
It was documented from a window above the street level.
The mystery man is seen alternating swimming strokes before disappearing into a doorway.
Although watersports enthusiasts that inadvertently fall into the river commonly seek tetanus shots, it is unclear whether the individual has taken this precaution.
Stormy conditions have since abated but the deluge is believed to have left significant damage to a number of badly affected properties in the area.
Unusually, the city’s main thoroughfare, Patrick Street, also saw significant rainfall, with traffic along parts of it practically at a standstill.
Adjoining alleyways between it and the parallel Oliver Plunkett Street were completely waterlogged.
Motorists were advised to avoid the river’s quays this morning until at least 9am, with units of the fire brigade and police on hand to help restore order during the chaotic conditions.
The flooding followed an orange alert from Ireland’s meteorological agency, Met Eireann, yesterday evening.
The alert system has only been in place since late last year but has already seen significant use. Orange alert is the second highest warning level on the newly instated scale and highlights the risk of significant structural damage.
A number of flights were canceled at Cork Airport this morning, but aviation authorities expect normal service to resume shortly.
Comments