There have been chaotic scenes in Newy, County Down, after Newry Canal burst its banks overnight, leaving a wake of destruction for those in the local area. In footage posted to social media, a car could be seen submerged in water in an abandoned car park, as people were seen canoeing down the Sugar Island area of the town after severe flooding last night.
Drone footage posted online showed the extent of the flooding, which has left the city in shock:
Drone video showing the extent of the flooding in Newry today. Video from https://t.co/ultz2xUNN9
— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) October 31, 2023
A vdieo from Newry in Northern Ireland this morning showing the extent of the flooding after the canal burst its banks. pic.twitter.com/MXnBnf9Cmb
— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) October 31, 2023
On RTE News at One, Manager of Newry’s Business Improvement District, Eamonn Connolly, said that parts of the town were left looking like a lake, telling the news programme: “It literally is inaccessible unless by boat.”
Mr Connolly said that the canal and the river were at maximum capacity, adding:
“Now we have a full tide at the moment, which makes us nervous, but thankfully it is not raining at present.”
He added that the flooding had caused extensive damage, and that “dozens and dozens” of local businesses had been impacted, with water “up above window height” making them accessible.
“We have never seen anything like this,” he said, adding that “everybody is in a state of shock.”
“There was substantial damage to stock, fixtures and fittings, buildings itself, even the public realm – we have walls down, we have riverbanks bust. It is just biblical in certain elements of it,” he said.
It comes ahead of further weather warnings with Storm Ciaran due to take hold tonight, with warnings issued both in the Republic and Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, one popular local business, men’s clothing store McCartan’s Bros, said it had been left “devastated” as it shared images of the damage to the inside of the store and all of its stock.
Devastated pic.twitter.com/ZNKnEH1xqP
— McCartan Bros Newry (@mccartanbros) October 31, 2023
“Thank you to everyone for your kind words and support. This will take some time to process but we’ll be back thanks to the strong community we have around us. If your home or business has been affected our thoughts and wishes are with you too,” the business said on social media, as owners were inundated with well wishes.
Speaking to BBC News NI, owner Paul McCartan said that his shop, which has been operating in Newry for over 60 years, since being founded by his father and uncle, has no flood insurance as many businesses in the area cannot secure cover for flood damage.
Mr McCartan said he expected the damage to run into the thousands, with his shop stocked with new items for Christmas. New flooring and toilets had also been installed recently, with the shop having been closed for refurbishment just this month.
Since midnight, the Department for Infrastructure’s flood incident line has received 600 calls, the BBC reports, with more heavy rain on the way.
Police have urged the public to avoid the canal and river “due to hazardous conditions caused by high water levels and the fast flowing current.”
Newry, County Down. #Flooding pic.twitter.com/wU5NWCEPpJ
— David Blevins (@skydavidblevins) October 31, 2023
In the Republic, the motorway linking Newry and Dublin has been shut northbound from junction 20. Train lines, roads and some bus services have been impacted by the flooding, with people warned not to travel amid heavy rain and weather warnings.
Met Eireann has also issued a status yellow rain warning for County Kerry from midday on Tuesday until midday on Wednesday. Rain is expected to be heavy at times – which could lead to more localised flooding, poor visibility and difficult travel conditions.