Cork saw heavy rainfall yesterday amid Storm Babet and local villages have been left devastated as their homes and businesses are destroyed.
A major clean-up is underway across counties in Munster following torrential rain and flooding and the Army has been deployed into Midleton, Co Cork.
Footage online shows local homes and businesses completely flooded as locals wade through flooded roads with water up to their waist.
Reporter Jamie O’Hara spoke to one local man, who said there was “water bubbling up the toilets” in his workplace.
“The lady who works in here, I had to take her down the road to keep her safe,” he told Lunchtime Live.
“I was up to my waist in water, and I’m six foot three.”
Another man told Jamie he “luckily” saw the flood coming into the local area and was able to escape to higher ground.
“All the traffic was blocked, the main street was blocked off, the roundabout was chaos,” he said.
“You couldn’t go anywhere, and this was between 2pm and 3pm – schools were coming out and parents couldn’t get to their kids.”
Damage to a local shop in Midleton, Co Cork, amid Storm Babet. Image: Jamie O'HaraMidleton local Eleanor runs clothes Lollipop Kids, which has lost “thousands and thousands of euros” worth of stock due to flooding.
“Midleton does not have any flood cover,” she explained. “It’s just total devastation.”
Eleanor was in her shop yesterday when news of major flooding arrived and she decided to move her car to a safer place.
“When I came back, my shop was underwater,” she said.
“It happened within 15 minutes... it was like a river bursting."
Flooding inside shop in Midleton, more awful images still being shared after a terrible day in parts of the South. Really hope we don’t see another event like this soon but sadly they are becoming more likely and a tough few months again.
pic.twitter.com/vVJ7ySs9Su— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) October 18, 2023
Eleanor said the lack of infrastructure in Midleton resulted in severe flooding.
“It’s just so disappointing for businesses and for homes,” she said. “We just don’t know where to turn.”
Damage from flooding to Midleton Supervalu, Co Cork, amid Storm BabetBeyond Midleton, Rathcormac local Claire told the show the entirety of the downstairs of her house has been destroyed.
“I’m standing here in my front room – no floors, all the skirting boards and doors have to be taken off,” she said.
“My stairs have to be taken out because the bottom is ruined.”
This is the second time Claire’s home has been flooded in 10 years.
“The OPW have a scheme in operation that has gone through planning and they’re telling us now they won’t do it until 2030,” she said.
“It’s not good enough – I can’t do this again.
“The OPW have to come out of their warm offices and come down and see what's going on the ground instead of just sitting there and not taking any notice of the people of all the villages.”
Midleton Main St. Shocking.
Major impact on local residents & businesses. pic.twitter.com/XT4BFC38Dj
— Cllr. Liam Quaide (@LiamQuaide) October 18, 2023
Clare said the orange warning issued for Cork was not enough to prepare locals for disaster.
“Met Éireann did not take it seriously,” she said. “They did not take the weather yesterday seriously.
“Yesterday they never gave a red alert when children couldn’t get out of schools.”
Listen back here:
