Floods battled as heatwave comes to abrupt end

Heavy downpours have caused flooding in a number of areas tonight with Letterkenny General Hospital among the places affected.

Up to a metre of water was reported to have gushed through the doors of the hospital’s accident and emergency unit this evening.

Fire crews were forced to bring sandbags into the hospital on hospital trolleys and off-duty hospital staff were called in to save patient files which became water-logged.

The weather also caused issues in Dublin as wet weather returned in earnest after a prolonged dry spell.

Thundery showers that have drenched us over the last number of days look set to continue through the weekend, with Met Éireann is forecasting " a continuation of the unsettled showery weather and turning a little cooler."

It adds that temperatures will still be normal or a little above.

Tomorrow, many areas will become dry with clear spells, but heavy showers will continue to affect coastal counties of the south and west at times overnight.

Sunday will start bright with sunny spells, but showers will become widespread by afternoon, with more thundery downpours likely in places and local spot flooding.

Following a heavy downpour this evening, An Garda Síochána said there was spot flooding in a number of areas of Dublin. These include Templeogue Village, Richmond Road in Drumcondra area, and at the Collins Avenue/Swords Road junction outbound toward the M1.

Flooding on Jones’s Road near Croke Park has since cleared.

There are also reports of flooding on Sheriff Street, on the Shelbourne Road/Landsdowne Road junction, and at Macken Street on the north quays before O’Connell Bridge.

Full Green line Luas service has been restored with some delays following a technical failure earlier.

The line was operating between St Stephen’s Green and Becchwood only, after a substation at Glencairn was hit by lightning.

There was no tram service between Beechwood and Brides Glen for a period during rush hour. The Luas red line was not effected and is operating normally.