Southeast badly hit by flooding

Roads across the southeast have been hit by floodwater over the last 24 hours or so and with more rain expected in the coming days the situation isn’t expected to greatly improve.

However, a brightening of conditions this morning and a reprieve from the heavy precipitation seen this week has allowed waters to recede.

In Co Waterford numerous main roads and minor roads have been blocked or partially blocked since last night.

The N72 between Dungarvan and Cappoquin is flooded in a number of stretches and motorists have been advised to drive carefully or else avoid this road if possible.

The road between Dungarvan and Clonmel, which is generally narrow and doesn’t offer many alternatives at the best of times, is also impassable in places and there are other spots where cars will have to be driven slowly through water.

Some towns and villages in Co Kilkenny were badly hit by flooding overnight such as Castlecomer, Kells, Thomastown and Graiguenamanagh, the latter seeing the river rise over the quays.

In Carlow, the Barrow is high in Bagenalstown while residents and businesspeople in Leighlinbridge are hoping they'll escape the worst of any flooding.

Co Tipperary was also hit by flash flooding in a number of places. The M8 between the Horse and Jockey/Thurles exit and the Cashel exit has been blocked for a number of hours because of surface water and motorists are being diverted along lesser routes.

However, flooding along the old road betweeen Cashel and Horse and Jockey hasn’t helped the diversion process.

Roads near Cashel were flooded and some impassable, such as between Racecourse Cross outside the town and the village of Rosegreen, and near New Inn.

Roads around the village of Clerihan were also impassable or partially blocked, as well as some roads near Poulmucka, particularly between that village and the junction with the main Cahir road at Rathkeevin, and in the Holycross and Ballycahill areas.

Clonmel has so far escaped any serious flooding but the Suir which flows through the centre is at a high level and local council officials are hoping that the flood defence system which has been in place since 2012 will successfully prevent any major incidents, as it did during the worst of the storms and wet weather of last January.

Outside the town, much farmland is under water, particularly close to the flood plain areas along the Suir between Clonmel and Kilsheelan and near Carrick-on-Suir.