Victims of the north-west floods are still trying to clear muck and water from their homes a full week after last Tuesday’s torrential rains.
Gail Ritchie from Elginton, Co Derry was on holiday in Ibiza when her aunt, Anne Lamberton called on Tuesday evening to tell her that her family home in Dunverne Gardens had been devastated by the flood.
“People forget about it a week later but we’re still dealing with it. I’m having to hot-bed with relatives because so many of my family has been affected. I have eight relatives here and all eight houses have been hit so I’m having to phone family members to see if I can stay with them for a night,” Ms Ritchie said.
In the homes around her, Ms Ritchie’s relatives, neighbours and friends were still dumping furniture, household belongings and even fitted kitchens yesterday afternoon.
The floods devastated large parts of Counties Derry, Tyrone and Donegal, leaving huge numbers of families homeless. Ms Ritchie said her insurance company told her it would be at least eight months before she would be able to return home as flood water had entered cavity walls.
“But at least I am insured; there are people living here who weren’t and they’re having to pay for things themselves,” she said.
Ms Ritchie said those who were not injured were desperately trying to dry out their homes so that they could return because they could not afford to rent other properties.
“My aunt (Anne Lamberton) lives in a bungalow and everything was destroyed. She only had the clothes she was wearing; she didn’t even have shoes to wear when she escaped and has had to borrow a pair of trainers from another relative.”
On Tuesday morning a BT spokeswoman said the number of faults reported now stands at more than 5,000 and that more than 3,000 fault had been resolved since last Wednesday.
"As well as focusing all local engineering resource on this major recovery programme, we have drafted in additional engineering support from other parts of the UK," she added.
By Monday evening, Derry City and Strabane District Council had paid out more than a quarter of a million pounds in emergency aid after receiving more than 560 requests for help. The Red Cross also revealed yesterday it was still dealing with 130 people a day in the flood area.
A week on, the full emotional shock of the floods was impacting on victims. The Western Trust has established a helpline for people who lost everything (07903990897).
Ms Ritchie said she was shocked and heart broken when she arrived back from holiday. The entire ground floor of her home was covered with sludge and muck. Despite industrial humidifiers running around the clock, the smell was still strong yesterday.
“I just cry every day. Sometimes you’re laughing one minute and then in tears seconds later,” she said.
And she added: “I even have to have the ceiling in the living room replaced (because it soaked up so much moisture). People think once the flood’s over that sure they’re rehoused and everything is ok but it’s not; it’ll be months and months before it’ll be ok.”
The impact of the flood is also still being felt in other areas. In Desertmartin in south Derry, a bridge on the Iniscarn Road collapsed on Monday just weeks after re-opening following refurbishment. DUP councillor, Anne Forde said local people believed the structure was weakened by the heavy rains.
The Northern Ireland Agriculture Producers’ Association (NIAPA) has also called for support for farmers. A spokesman said the loss of livestock and grazing land as well as the loss of winter fodder was placing huge stress on farm families.
“We need a concerted and co-ordinated effort between agencies and stakeholders to draw up a strategy to deal with this crisis,” he said.
