Hospitals and homes around Ireland have been evacuated, and many damaged, by the torrential rain over the past week.
There was flooding throughout the country including in Dublin, Wicklow, Westmeath and Donegal after heavy thundery showers, BreakingNews.ie reported.
In what the Irish Independent described as “a day of chaos” dozens of homes in the north inner city of Dublin were flooded along the roads surrounding, and parts of the Croke Park Stadium. This is the second time in a week these houses have flooded.
Despite the fact that Friday saw the roads surrounding Croke Park under three feet of water the GAA All-Ireland games planned for this weekend will go ahead. Flood waters seeped into the player’s lounge but the dressing rooms and the pitch remain undamaged.
Residents in the area are left counting the cost of the flood damage on their homes after days of torrential rain and flash flooding.
John Ross (24), who lives on Oriel street with his mother, Noeleen (50), said the drains are unable to handle the heavy rain. Despite using sandbags to block the rain sewerage was backed up into their shower, causing damage.
"We had to throw out the kitchen and bedroom units the last time. This time, within an hour we had three feet of water and we had to put the furniture up on bricks," he said.
"We shouldn't have to live like this. This is four times in four years and we get no help at all from the corporation."
Also in Dublin services on the Luas, the city’s tram, were suspended between Bride's Glen and Beechwood following a lightning strike.
Fire crews were busy battling the floods in Raheny, Kilbarrack, Clontarf and north inner city areas of Dublin in late afternoon on Friday.
At Letterkenny General Hospital, Donegal, the emergency evacuation swung into action as the fire crew worked to pump the flooding out and off-duty staff rushed to the hospital to help with patients.
The flooding was caused after a stream at the back of the hospital became congested and flowed into the buildings.
A large section of the hospital was left under water including the Emergency Department, Radiology, Outpatients, Pathology, and Medical Records, several wards and kitchens. The new emergency unit was badly damaged.
Sinn Fein TD Padraig Mac Lochlainn said he would seek answers from the Health Service Executive, as this is the second time the unit has flooded.
He said “I will be demanding answers from the HSE on why lessons from the previous flooding were not learnt? How could such a costly project not have mitigated against any threat from flooding at planning stage?"
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