Gallery: North West floods were worst in living memory
The devastation caused by floods on the Leckey Road in Derry. Picture by Frankie McMenamin The devastation caused by floods on the Leckey Road in Derry. Picture by Frankie McMenamin
BySeamus McKinney
MORE than 100 people had to rescued during Tuesday night's severe floods with people telling of their shock at the scale of devastation.
Woefully ill-prepared householders were forced to use quilts, towels, blankets and pillows as they desperately tried to hold back flood water sweeping through homes.
There were dramatic scenes in Derry as torrential rain cascaded down the city’s two hills, blowing manhole covers into the air and sending huge fountains of water sky-ward.
The deluge caused widespread damage, ripping up road surfaces and causing minor landslides across counties Derry, Tyrone and Donegal. However, the worst damage by far was caused on outlying roads.
Bridges across the region collapsed while motorists had lucky escapes as cars were swept away.
In Drumahoe a car ended up on the roof of another in the River Faughan while other cars and a lorry could also be seen in the river.
Cars that were swept into the River Faughan at Drumahoe on the outskirts of Derry during severe rain and storms in the north west area of N-Ireland are removed on Wednesday night. Picture Margaret McLaughlin 23-8-17. Cars that were swept into the River Faughan at Drumahoe on the outskirts of Derry during severe rain and storms in the north west area of N-Ireland are removed on Wednesday night. Picture Margaret McLaughlin 23-8-17.
Institute FC's football pitch was also left flooded after the river burst its banks.
On Derry’s Buncrana Road cars were abandoned after motorists tried to drive through water levels which reached wing-mirror height.
The floods also brought out a huge community response. People came together to help those most severely hit. People opened their homes to neighbours while others, armed with brushes and buckets worked through the night to sweep water away.
In the border town of Burnfoot in Donegal sstaff from Leo’s Café moved around stranded motorists with tea, coffee and sandwiches as they attempted to negotiate through the floods.
In other rural areas, farmers used their tractors to rescue neighbours from flooded homes and to pull cars abandoned from roads that had become rivers.
At Ivy Mead, on the outskirts of Derry, local men used a tractor to rescue Dawn Grieve and her two young sons.
“We had to get out of there at about half three this morning. It was too bad for them (her four-year-old and two-year-old sons). They were scared,” Ms Grieve said.
Cars that were swept into the River Faughan at Drumahoe on the outskirts of Derry during severe rain and storms in the north west area of N-Ireland are removed on Wednesday night. Picture Margaret McLaughlin 23-8-17. Cars that were swept into the River Faughan at Drumahoe on the outskirts of Derry during severe rain and storms in the north west area of N-Ireland are removed on Wednesday night. Picture Margaret McLaughlin 23-8-17.
As water levels subsided yesterday, attention turned to what will be a huge repair operation.
Cars that were swept into the River Faughan at Drumahoe on the outskirts of Derry during severe rain and storms in the north west area of N-Ireland are removed on Wednesday night. Picture Margaret McLaughlin 23-8-17. Cars that were swept into the River Faughan at Drumahoe on the outskirts of Derry during severe rain and storms in the north west area of N-Ireland are removed on Wednesday night. Picture Margaret McLaughlin 23-8-17. Cars that were swept into the River Faughan at Drumahoe on the outskirts of Derry during severe rain and storms in the north west area of N-Ireland are removed on Wednesday night. Picture Margaret McLaughlin 23-8-17. Cars that were swept into the River Faughan at Drumahoe on the outskirts of Derry during severe rain and storms in the north west area of N-Ireland are removed on Wednesday night. Picture Margaret McLaughlin 23-8-17. Road near Quigley's Point in Inishowen Road near Quigley's Point in Inishowen Lucky escape for drive fo van in Inishowen Lucky escape for drive fo van in Inishowen Householders in Derry's Brandywell clearing up. Picture by Frankie McMenamin Householders in Derry's Brandywell clearing up. Picture by Frankie McMenamin The City of Derry Airport which was flooded during severe rain and storms in the north west area overnight. Picture Margaret McLaughlin The City of Derry Airport which was flooded during severe rain and storms in the north west area overnight. Picture Margaret McLaughlin The scene at Institute Football Club and playing fields at Drumahoe on the outskirts of Derry. Picture Margaret McLaughlin The scene at Institute Football Club and playing fields at Drumahoe on the outskirts of Derry. Picture Margaret McLaughlin
