Flooding to continue as Erne rises

Water levels in Upper Lough Erne and Lower Lough Erne are still rising, ensuring that flooding in Cavan and Fermanagh will continue in the days ahead. An ESB spokesman said if the rain eases as forecast, water levels will reduce, although this will be a slow exercise given the flat nature of the Erne lake system, which includes Lough Oughter and Lough Gowna. According to the ESB, the current flooding is the worst since the Ballyshannon power station was commissioned in the early 1950s. There are now record levels of water in Upper and Lower Lough Erne and the water is still rising, but it has now reached its peak. The ESB dams at Ballyshannon and Belleek, Cathleen's Fall and Cliff, are discharging as much water as possible, given the current levels at the dams. Families in the immediate catchment area of Lough Oughter and beside the lakes in the Milltown and Belturbet areas have been hit by the huge flooding that has beset the country. The build-up of water has presented huge problems for the emergency services. Townlands such as Clonushan, Ionish, Dromard, Derries Upper and Lower have been hit and some families have to be ferried to and from their homes by boat. Even yesterday (Tuesday) during the national one-day strike staff with Cavan Co. Council were working to assist people suffering from the effects of the flooding. The N3 on the southern side of Belturbet is closed due to the overflow from Bunn lake. Other areas to suffer flooding in this region include those adjacent to rivers such as the Dromore and Annalee in the Cootehill area and close to the Finn river near Clones. Ger Finn, director of service at Cavan Co. Council, praised the staff response to the emergency. On what can be done to alleviate flooding Mr. Finn we were at the mercy of the elements. The ESB gates at Ballyshannon had been open since November 5 so there was no hold-up at that point, he stated. Enniskillen and Newtownbutler have also been hit. It has been a particularly trying time for farmers as huge swathes of the countryside are under water. Taoiseach Brian Cowen toured worst hit areas of the south and west on Monday and promised aid in the areas of extreme hardship. There will be demands for financial assistance from many thousands of people who had their homes, businesses and farms damaged by the flood. More on the floods on pages 2 and 3.