Householders and business people in Cork city and county were today counting the cost as torrential rain totalling more than 30 mm combined with melting snows to create serious localised flooding in many areas.
Business people in the centre of Blackpool on Cork's north side were hit by a flash flood at lunchtime when a fallen tree blocked a culvert on the Bride River, resulting in some premises being flooded to a depth of two feet.
Cork City Council personnel managed to clear the obstruction and water levels quickly subsided, though not before they had caused damage to a number of premises on Great William O'Brien Street.
In Cork county, householders and business people in Mallow and Fermoy were on flood alert tonight after heavy rain and melting snow on high ground in the Boggeragh and Nagle mountains led to a huge rise in water levels in the Blackwater.
Cork County Council senior engineer Aidan Weir said the Park Road in Mallow had flooded but council staff were hoping the flood relief barriers which had worked well in the town in the November floods would again help prevent flooding in Bridge Street
However he warned that householders and business people in Fermoy were facing the prospect of a near repeat of the November flooding with Brian Boru Square, O'Neill Crowley Quay, Mill Road and Rathhealy Road all at risk of flooding early tomorrow morning.
In west Cork, 40 soldiers from Collins Barracks had spent the night filling 5,000 sandbags to protect parts of Skibbereen after a combination of high tide and swollen waters in the river Ilen threatened to flood low lying parts of the town
It had been feared that premises in Townshend Street and Market Street in the town which had been flooded three times since the November floods would flood again but the protective measures worked and the high tide passed without incident.
However the combination of heavy rains and snow melt led to extensive flooding on roads throughout the county with surface water gathering on several roads in the Lee valley as well as around Bantry, Carrigaline, Cloghroe, Doneraile, Dunmanway and Macroom.
A spokeswoman for the ESB said the company was not anticipating any difficulty with water levels at the Inniscarra dam on the river Lee though staff were continuing to closely monitor the situation.
Several main arteries in Cork city including Sarsfield Road, Kinsale Road, Centre Park Road, Monaghan Road, Victoria Road and Rutland Street all had to be closed due to flooding while the Carrigrohane Straight and Lee Road also experienced some flooding.
Cork City Council expects to have water supplies restored by 9am tomorrow to some 4,000 or so households left without water today due to a combination of burst water mains caused by freezing temperatures and falling water levels in the Shanakiel reservoir.
The majority of schools in Cork city and county opted to remain closed today but most are expected to re-open tomorrow. The council expected to have water supplies restored by 9am to the affected areas which are mainly on the city's northside.
Heavy winds at Cork Airport forced the diversion of two incoming flights to Shannon and Dublin this morning but by lunch time, winds had died down and the airport was functioning normally with no further flights having to be diverted.
AA Roadwatch said there was severe flooding on the N22 Cork to Tralee road, especially between Macroom and Lissarda, where the road is barely passable. There are a number of trees down on the Bantry to Drimoleague road (R586) and flooding around the Abbey in Bantry.
Gardaí advised motorists to avoid Lee Road, Magazine Road, Mallow and Centre Park Road due to debris and surface water.
The River Shournagh has burst its banks causing flooding on the Cloghroe Road. There was also flooding in Bishopstown and on Rossa Avenue. Leemount Road is impassable.
There are no Bus Éireann services on the Skibbereen to Baltimore road or on the Ballingeary to Inchigeelagh road due to fallen trees.
In Limerick, weather conditions are stormy throughout the county, with motorists urged to watch out for fallen debris on the N21 Adare to Limerick route.
It is also very stormy and windy throughout Co Kerry, with surface water and spot flooding occurring as ice thaws, in particular approaching Killarney on the N72 Killorglin road.
Leinster and Connacht also experienced wet and windy conditions today, with rain turning to sleet or snow in places.
Met Éireann issued warnings to local authorities in Kerry, Cork, Waterford and Wexford yesterday, and said it would be providing regular updates.
Forecaster Gerald Fleming said a very significant weather system was approaching which could bring significant rain to Kerry, Cork, Wexford and Waterford. The weather system could bring between 30mm and 50mm of rain.
The Oireachtas Committee on the Environment is to travel to Cork to meet people affected by the recent flooding. The meeting will inform a report that the committee intends to publish by the end of February.
