LOUTH/MEATH: The coastal areas of Louth survived the storm early yesterday morning. But considerable damage was done by a high spring tide in the afternoon that caught homeowners and motorists unaware.
The Boyne River burst its banks along the length of the estuary between Baltray, Co Louth and Mornington, Co Meath causing extensive flooding to coastal roads as well as the quays in Drogheda.
The tide peaked about 2.15 p.m. by which stage Ms Mary Mulholland, roads officer with Louth County Council, said it was too late to sandbag vulnerable areas.
"Ninety-nine per cent of this problem has been caused by the high tide, not by gulleys being blocked. We are pumping water in the affected areas and are asking the public to avoid coastal regions," she said.
Gardaí closed the coastal Rock road from Dundalk to the coastal village of Blackrock from 2 p.m. until 3.30 p.m. as the sudden high waters left motorists stranded and made the road impassable.
Four-wheel-drive vehicles, which normally weather such high waters, had difficulties on the Rock road as well as the Fairgreen beside the Castletown River, Dundalk.
In Baltray, three miles north of Drogheda close to the mouth of the Boyne, a number of houses had to be evacuated; in one home the waters were flowing in the letterbox. Drogheda Fire Brigade was working with the Boyne Fishermen's Rescue Service to evacuate the houses and sandbag vulnerable areas in case of a repetition of the tide today.
There were numerous reports of individual houses being flooded by either high river or sea waters along the Louth coast, and some of the worst-hit areas were Carlingford, the Omeath to Newry road, Clogherhead, Seapoint and Bellurgan.
In east Meath, the Boyne flooded the main road from Drogheda to Mornington while the sea caused spot flooding in Bettystown. There were concerns that some houses along the coast, particularly near, Mornington might need to be evacuated.
In both Louth and Meath the weather forecast was being closely monitored, with plans being put in place in case of a repetition of yesterday's weather. Last night the Defence Forces had up to 100 troops on standby at Aiken Barracks, Dundalk in case they were required to deal with weather-related emergencies in Drogheda and the east Meath area.
Soldiers from Gormanstown Barracks, along with five high-based vehicles which are able to travel through heavy waters, were sent into Laytown to distribute sandbags to vulnerable homes. Another 30 soldiers from Aiken Barracks were deployed filling sandbags for distribution in Drogheda near the Boyne.