Co Clare 'in emergency situation'

Co Clare is in an emergency situation and the situation will get worse before it gets better.

That was the grim joint assessment by the mayors of Clare and Ennis this evening as the Clare Crisis Management Centre issued a severe flood risk warning to all parts of Clare and repeated its warning of further flooding along the lower River Shannon.

In a joint statement, the mayor of Clare, Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG) and mayor of Ennis, Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) stated that Clare "is in an emergency situation" and told the public "that by failing to cooperate with the emergency services they are placing their own lives and the lives of others at risk".

They stated: "Clare is in an emergency situation where total cooperation is required. The situation will get worse before it gets better."

Constant rain in the county during the day prompted the crisis centre to issue the warning as flooding in the north Clare resulted in one family being evacuated from their home in the Burren village of Carron.

Earlier, Clare County Council closed the main bridge in the south east Clare village of Sixmilebridge after the authority expressed safety concerns over the structure of the bridge and diversions were in place this evening.

Also, 108 homeless flood victims will be spending their fifth night in emergency accommodation tonight at the West County Hotel as Clare County Council staff carried out checks of their homes earlier today.

In their joint statement, Cllr Mulcahy and Cllr Neylon warned of a severe flood risk for Ennis, South East Clare and other parts of the county.

They stated: "It is very likely that areas previously affected by flood waters in recent days will again experience flooding over the coming days.

"As flood response efforts continue across Co Clare and the wider region we would strongly appeal to members of the public to continue to heed the advice of the emergency services so as to ensure their own safety."

The two mayors said that the decision by SIPTU, TEEU and IMPACT members to defer industrial action from today "enabled recovery efforts to be carried out with maximum efficiency".