Galway Bay fm newsroom – A severe weather warning has been issued for Galway for tomorrow and essential travel only is advised by the authorities.
Falls of very heavy, prolonged rain are forecast by Met Éireann at times today, through tomorrow Tuesday and into Wednesday.
Tomorrow, the rain will be accompanied by very strong winds and Met Éireann has declared Storm Frank, the sixth storm of the winter season.
A status Orange Wind warning, which is the second highest, has been advised by Met Eireann and it will be followed by heavy rainfall, at status yellow.
This combined with high tides could lead to severe coastal flooding and Galway City Council and An Garda Síochána will close the Promenade in Salthill tomorrow to traffic from 12 noon until at least 8.00pm as a precaution.
The road closure will be from the junction of Grattan Road and Dr. Colohan Road, along the Promenade by the Aquarium, along the main Salthill Road from the Darcy Roundabout to the junction with Threadneedle Road at Blackrock.
Diversions will be in place and motorists are also advised to remove vehicles from the car parks at Toft Park and on the Promenade at Seapoint.
There is a strong possibility of spot flooding on roads across the city.
Galway City Council personnel will monitor the situation on the ground across the city and are on standby over coming days.
Galway City Council is strongly urging members of the public to act responsibly during this period of severe weather and not to put themselves or others in danger by engaging in risky behaviour in or near Galway Bay.
People are reminded again to check isolated and vulnerable neighbours, assist with household requirements and prescription medicines.
Galway City Council operates an out-of-hours contact number at 091 536400 to provide assistance to the public and emergency services can be contacted on 999/112.
Galway County Council advises that road users should avoid all coastal routes particularly along the R336.
Road users are requested to exercise extreme caution and to obey signage regarding flooded roads.
You are also asked not to drive into any flood unless you can confirm that it is safe to do so.
The county council has provided Galway Bay fm news with an update on roads flooding
Closed Roads:
N18 at Labane – diversion in place through the village
Many local roads in South Galway, including, but not limited to the following areas –
Peterswell, Skehanagh, Kilternan, Tierneevin and Ballynasteigue
There is a risk of flooding affecting routes following forecasted heavy rainfall in the following areas:
Clare River catchment area – river level high at the moment, ongoing monitoring by Galway County Council in association with OPW
Craughwell – Dunkellin River level rising, ongoing monitoring, may flood at short notice, sandbagging taking place in the area
Ballinasloe – Flood defences have been deployed and sandbags and pumps are in
position ready for use if necessary, ongoing monitoring of level of River Suck
N65 at bridge in Portumna is currently opened to two way traffic but water levels are being monitored.
In the event of a flooding emergency, and if assistance is required, please ring the Galway County Council emergency number 091 509069.
This number will remain in place until Wednesday at 9.00a.m. when the Council offices reopen.
South Galway is the area suffering most at the moment.
Several houses have had to be abandoned as water has got in, farmers have had to move animals from sheds in danger of flooding and in Kiltartan a few houses may have to be abandoned because they are cut off by encircling waters
Cllr Michael Fahy has praised the great work done in Labane and South Galway today by county council staff and the Defence Forces
However, he told Galway Bay fm news there are major concerns ahead of Storm Frank’s arrival tomorrow.
Former Galway county councillor Bridie Willers says that her home in Gort has flooded multiple times in the past few years, and not enough is being done to help people affected.