MALLOW AND FERMOY:UP TO 50 people had to abandon a bus on the Park Road in Mallow, north Cork yesterday after it got into difficulty due to severe flooding after the river Blackwater burst its banks.
Business owners began to put out sandbags after a lunchtime flood warning and traffic diversions were put in place. By 4pm yesterday Park Road was completely submerged.
Local Labour councillor Seán Sherlock said business owners were shocked. "This is happening completely out of season. But it is a big one . . . It does to a certain extent call into question the works that have been carried out.
"I think the jury is still out on the flood alleviation works and we just have to wait and see. The people of Mallow are used to floods of this nature but they are certainly not used to it at this time of the year."
Flood relief works have been ongoing in Mallow for the last six months and are not projected to finish for another 18 months.
Mayor of Mallow Cllr James Kennedy said he hopes this will be one of the last times the town experiences flooding.
"By next year we hope that Bridge Street will never flood again whereas other towns have not got the flood relief. So that is a bright spot on the horizon.
"The businesses are well prepared but it is a blow again because Bridge Street for the last month was closed for flood relief."
Sharon Gregory of The Wedding Dress shop on Bridge Street, which was flooded in January, said business owners were tired of picking up the pieces. It is not a nice thing to have to strip the shop and put it back together. You are closed basically for a week, out of business for a week.
"We have often had two of three floods one after the other. But they would always be in the winter."
By 5pm yesterday flood waters were beginning to recede. No further rain occurred from daybreak yesterday and the river Blackwater's flow peaked in the afternoon.
Flood waters continued down the Blackwater to Killavullen last night, affecting roads in and out of the town.
Engineers said the flood was slow-travelling but quite high-rising.
Residents of Fermoy in north Cork were warned that a flood was likely to hit the town by midnight last night.
Mallow and Fermoy experienced some of the worst flooding in decades last January. The Blackwater, Lee and Funcheon rivers all broke their banks.
Experts say taming the Blackwater will not be easy. Given the right conditions, floods can strike very quickly in Mallow. Fermoy is somewhat more fortunate, being farther along the Blackwater. It usually has several hours' notice.