Water being pumped out of flooded Downpatrick at a rate of ‘7,500 litres a minute’

A pumping operation in flood-stricken parts of Downpatrick, Co Down has been removing water at a rate of 7,500 litres per minute.

Large parts of the town remained under water on Saturday after heavy rainfall earlier in the week swamped many businesses. Newry, Kilkeel and Portadown were also badly affected by flooding that hit the northeast of the island.

Calls are continuing to mount for significant financial aid to be made available for those counting the costs of the deluge. Many of the business owners affected had previously been unable to get insurance cover for flood damage.

The powersharing impasse at Stormont means there are no elected ministers in place to take the lead on the response to the floods.

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The pumping operation, being led by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, began on Friday evening and continued overnight.

A Department for Infrastructure statement said: “This is a complex operation which used two high volume pumps moving in excess of 7,500 litres per minute using twin six-inch hoses to the discharge point into the Quoile River at the Belfast Road bridge almost a mile away.

“As waters receded, pumping paused temporarily to relocate pumps closer to the low point.

“Water levels in the Quoile are on the decline and monitoring of water levels both in Market Street and the River still continue.

“Market Street and other roads in the area remain closed to facilitate the pumping main. We would appreciate road users to follow the necessary safety messages and diversion routes.”

The department said it was not possible to give an exact time frame when the pumping operation would be completed.

“We understand this is incredibly difficult for residents and businesses impacted and we appreciate their patience as we work with partners to manage the situation,” the statement added.

“Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has already started to assist businesses, where possible, with the clear-up and is ready to commence a clean-up operation in the town centre as soon as it is feasible to bring large vehicles and equipment onto the streets.”

Meanwhile, the Minister for State at the Office of Public Works (OPW) has said a significant change in policy direction is required to allow for the timely construction of infrastructure such as flood defence as the State adapts to the threat of climate change.

“The reality is our climate isn’t changing, it’s changed,” Patrick O’Donavon told reporters in Carlingford, Co Louth on Friday during a visit to the village after it was hit by significant flooding earlier this week.

“We have to be allowed to address that change with a greater level of speed (than) we’re being allowed at the moment.”

He added: “Climate adaptation for villages and towns like Carlingford involves significant infrastructure development that require planning permission, and for us to be able to do that with the local authorities – the same in Middleton – will involve, I believe, a significant change in the policy direction as to how we’re currently doing it.”

Mr O’Donovan and Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys visited Carlingford on Friday to meet locals impacted by the flooding. Ms Humphreys confirmed that that those affected would be eligible for the same level of compensation - up to €100,000 - afforded to those impacted by Storm Babet last month.

“The same will apply right across the country,” she said.

Mr O’Donovan admitted that changing climate patterns will cost the State “an awful lot of money” in the not too distant future. “The extent to which that change happens over the next five to 10 years will obviously have a big impact on the exchequer.”

Over the last three years, he said he has visited numerous communities hit by the same issues as Carlingford and other parts of the country in the past month.

“This is happening with a great level of, I would say almost, violence, that’s coming in terms of the storms, and in terms of the weather patterns, and the frequency,” he added. “We haven’t even entered the winter yet and the land is completely saturated.”

The Fine Gal politicians on Friday met Sharon McGuigan, the owner of the Carlingford Arms, which was one of several businesses in the tourist village impacted by the floods. The hotel reponed on Friday but was not insured for flood damage.

“Everyone was here to try and help us, but there was just nothing we could do [to stop the water],” Ms McGuigan told The Irish Times. “We got extra sandbags, we tried our best – as the water was coming in we were brushing it out, but there was just no control.”

She said getting back to normal “will be expensive” as further flood-related issues are detected.

“As we’re going on, as we’re getting open, we’re finding out more problems. We thought all the fridges were open, but the sockets, there’s a lot of stuff still damp and not working at this moment in time.” - Additional reporting: PA