DUNDRUM TOWN CENTRE:BUSINESSES IN Dundrum Town Centre were among the worst hit after the nearby river Slang burst its banks.
The centre was evacuated shortly before 8pm when a surge of water flowed into the mall through doors beside the Butler’s chocolate shop located in the middle of the ground floor.
The water then spread throughout the ground floor and affected most of the shops.
A spokeswoman for the centre said a couple of hundred people including staff were there at the time. She said the mall was evacuated in 20 minutes and power was cut.
Terry McVeigh, owner of Cortina’s Mexican restaurant, said his basement was submerged under five feet of water after a deluge came down the steps from the main centre.
Mr McVeigh said he is facing a bill of up to €20,000 worth of damage due to lost revenue and ruined stock.
Management at retailer Marks & Spencer said a lot of their stock was going to go to waste as the store, located on the ground and basement level of the centre, suffered severe water damage to its food hall, homeware, menswear and kidswear departments.
Shane Maguire, co-owner of Ruairi Maguire’s Bar Organic Kitchen, said he would also have to close for the immediate future as his basement was covered in water and without power.
The shopping centre is expected to reopen its doors to the public at 10am today.
