Tyrone and Donegal flooding: Clean-up effort continues

Silverdale Care Home in Castlederg experienced bad flooding at the weekend

A clean-up operation is continuing in counties Tyrone and Donegal after severe flooding at the weekend.

Several homes and businesses in Castlederg, County Tyrone, in Northern Ireland and in Raphoe in the Republic of Ireland were left badly damaged.

Residents in Castlederg experienced 81mm of rain between 19:00 BST on Friday and 19:00 BST on Sunday.

Councillor Derek Hussey has said there were not enough sandbags for a time during the torrential downpour.

"There were initially sandbags at two locations but one of the issues was, because of the intensity of the situation, they ran out," the Ulster Unionist Party representative said.

This was the scene outside Ashburn Park, off the Killeter Road in Castlederg

"Myself and other councillors in the area were in constant contact with the agencies to then get more sandbags on site, they did eventually come but there was a delay."

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) said it was estimated that about 5,000 sandbags and several pumps were deployed to protect properties.

It also said it responded to more than 100 calls to the flooding incident line and provided assistance to affected residents and businesses throughout Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday.

Individual householders who have "suffered severe inconvenience" can claim £1,000 from their council to ensure their home can be "made habitable as quickly as possible", according to the Department for Communities (DfC).

A spokesperson for Derry City and Strabane District Council confirmed that environmental health officers had visited 21 homes in the Castlederg area so far following the flooding.

"At this stage, two inhabited buildings have been affected by flood water damage," a council spokesperson said.

"Anyone who has been impacted by the floods is advised to report the incident to the flooding helpline."

BBC Radio Foyle has approached Donegal County Council for a statement.

Francis Dolan started looking out for signs of flooding in his home in Castlederg as soon as the heavy rain started.

"I knew sooner or later that it would happen it's happened before," he said.

"It was getting scary. I am disabled and my disability scooter would not do too well in the water."

Residential areas in Castlederg were lined with sandbags over the weekend

Geraldine Browne, the Manager of Silverdale Care Home in Castlederg, said locals were on hand to help residents before the fire service arrived.

"People were on standby with slurry tankers, water pumps and sandbags," she said.

"Everybody worked very hard to prevent the residents having to leave their home, which would have been very traumatic and unsettling for them in the late hours of Saturday night."

'Helplessly look on'

In Raphoe, near the Northern Ireland border at County Tyrone, heavy rain on Saturday night meant a Sunday clean-up for many residents.

Speaking to BBC's the North West Today, Dale Hyndman said it was the worst flooding he has ever experienced.

"This has happened to us on numerous occasions in Raphoe," he said.

"Unfortunately, it has been left once again for the residents to try and stem the flow of the water.

"There's nothing you can do. You can only stand by and helplessly look on as tons of water gushes in."

Several businesses in Raphoe experienced high levels of flood water at the weekend

Mr Hyndman said he was still assessing the damage of the floodwater on his property and his parent's home.

Floor coverings in the property were starting to peel away, he said.

"There's a smell and it's just a strip-out job over the next few weeks," he said.

"It's money and it's time."