Floods cause traffic chaos in west

River levels receded slightly in Ballinasloe and Claregalway this morning but large parts of Co Galway to the north, east and south are still seriously flooded, causing major traffic disruption.

Rising levels on the Shannon have also affected the N65 between south Galway and the Tipperary border. The route is now impassable, following overnight flooding at the Portumna bridge over the Shannon.

Over 100 families have now been forced to leave homes in Ballinasloe, which Taoiseach Brian Cowen is due to visit this afternoon and at least a dozen businesses are seriously affected. The Army and Civil Defence continue to provide assistance to residents requiring access to shops and homes.

East Galway politicians, including Mayor of Ballinasloe Johnny Walsh and former mayor Cllr Michael Mullins, have called for an emergency aid package, given that some people were unable to secure insurance cover due to flooding previously.

In  Ballinasloe and Claregalway, new housing estates built on flood plains have been most critically affected. Several homes in Claregalway were evacuated by the local authority at the weekend and another 25 families  are on “standby”. Large numbers of families in the east of the county have “self-evacuated” their homes, according to the local authority.

The N17 is still impassable at Claregalway, and a prison van from Castlerea which tried to navigate the flood waters got stuck this morning. A Garda vehicle had to be sent from Galway to transport the prisoners into the city.

The N6 at Craughwell has been re-opened to traffic, following a receding of water levels there, and sections of the M6 motorway from Loughrea to Galway remain open on a temporary basis.

Delays of up to four hours were experienced by commuters this morning using the only available road linking Galway to the north - the N84 Galway-Headford road – which is already flooded in parts, particularly between Clonboo and Corrandulla cross on the approach to Galway city.

Galway County Council has urged drivers to avoid the N84 if possible, and a detour has been put in place from Tuam. Drivers heading to Galway from the north of the county are advised to travel from Tuam to Horseleap Cross via the R332, using the N63 from there via Abbeyknockmoy and Annagh Cross, the R347 to Athenry, the R348 to Derrydonnell and the M6 to Galway city.

The N63 Galway-Roscommon road is also still impassable and closed between Loughgeorge and Annagh Cross.

There are also delays and diversions on the N18 Galway-Limerick road, with the route described as impassable at Kiltartan and Labane and “flooded but passable” between Clarenbridge and Kilcolgan.

Galway County Council director of services Frank Gilmore said that the priority was still to keep essential services going, staff were extremely stretched, and it would be impractical for the local authority to pump out residential homes.

The Irish Famers’ Association has warned that people in rural areas are being “marooned”, along with stock, and says that flooding of slatted houses on farms and overflowing septic tanks could have a serious health and environmental impact.

A precautionary boil water notice is still in place in Ballinasloe and a number of group water schemes. St Vincent de Paul in Ballinasloe has appealed for food and clothing to help those people who lost everything when their homes were flooded.