Athlone in ‘losing battle’ with Shannon likely to overflow

The prospect of more flooding in parts of Athlone, Co Westmeath, seems highly likely, as local residents battle to protect their homes from rising water levels.

“We have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. There is a lot of crying here this morning,” said Cllr Kevin “Boxer” Moran of the Independent Alliance on Wednesday. Mr Moran had spent the early hours of Wednesday successfully preventing floodwater from the river Shannon entering properties along the Strand on the east side of Athlone.

On the west side of town, Paddy Grehan and Paul Fleming manned a large diesel-powered water pump at a newly built dam beside the Park estate. "We are up all night," Mr Fleming said. "If that [the pump] breaks down we are gone."

They are concerned that the wind was pushing the water back towards Athlone. Mr Fleming lives in one of the estate’s 12 houses with his wife Irene and daughters Lucy (6), Sally (5) and Rose (4). The Park estate was built in the 1970s and flooded for the first time in 2009. Three of the houses are rented and the rest are owner-occupied.

Sense of community

There is a strong sense of community in the small cul de sac, where residents were out on the street chatting, drinking tea and checking on their flood defences.

Mr Fleming has built his own defences following the 2009 floods. He raised his garden, built a solid concrete wall around his house and has pumps ready at two drains in his garden. Pointing out the height of an electricity box outside a house, he said he fears the electricity will be cut off if the water continues to rise.

If so, he will need diesel-powered pumps to keep the water out of his garden and his family will have to move to alternative accommodation.

Mr Fleming has been manning the pump with Mr Grehan for days and is eager for the Defence Forces to arrive in the area. "People are exhausted and overall this community is pretty old. If you had the Army at least there would be a bit more vigour," he said.

A short distance away, staff at Deerpark Windows were attempting to pump water away from the business. "We are fighting a losing battle, I think," said company director Anthony Grehan. "I would imagine it is going to get higher. We are surrounded on four sides."

In recent days business has ceased as all staff have been busy trying to prevent the flood and move stock to safety, said Mr Grehan. “There’s no insurance here, we have to help ourselves,” he added.

Water rising

Around the corner on Deerpark Road, the thrum of diesel- powered pumps can be heard along the street. Water is rising up through drains and is coming perilously close to houses, as residents, volunteers and council staff continue to battle the floods.

On the west side of town on Wednesday, director of services with Westmeath County Council Barry Kehoe was assessing the situation at the Strand and Wolfe Tone Terrace, where Army personnel were placing sandbags. In the previous 24 hours, Shannon river levels had risen by 7cm.

Mr Kehoe said the latest forecasts indicate the water will rise by a further 40cm by next Monday, equalling the November 2009 flood levels when more than 100 houses flooded.

“If that level is reached it is going to be extremely difficult, if not to impossible, to stop a substantial number of houses from getting flooded,” he explained. Mr Kehoe described the latest forecast as “really disappointing”, particularly as the floods are likely to affect the same residents as the 2009 floods. “The key priorities are to try to help people where they are trying to protect their homes.

At present the council is assisting with sandbags, pumps and transport to affected areas. It is also sourcing accommodation for those who may need it in the coming days and weeks.

“We are doing everything we can to help people but there’s not much you can do about that river,” said Mr Kehoe.