The owner of a dry cleaning shop in Derry who spent £30,000 (€35,000) repairing flood damage five years ago has said he “can’t live like this” after being flooded again.
Ali Ghamlouch has appealed to Stormont to provide emergency financial support – businesses are not covered by the one-off £1,000 (€1,180) payment provided to affected homeowners – as he fears for the future of his 20-year-old business.
Six people were rescued by emergency services during the torrential downpours in the northwest on Saturday evening.
An estimated 40 properties were flooded after almost a month’s rain fell in one day, with more than 8,000 sandbags deployed.
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Mr Ghamlouch’s premises and two other shops in the Eglinton area of the city were forced to close to begin their clean-ups.
He was unable to leave his home on Sunday morning as the road outside was blocked.
“I woke up and thought, ‘Not again’. I don’t know if I will have a business again as it cost me so much money the last time. In 2017 we didn’t get any help whatsoever because we had no government,” he told The Irish Times.
“I had insurance but it would not cover the floods. It cost me £30,000 to get the shop back in operation. I had to buy new washing machines and dryers.
“The weekend’s flooding is not as bad as last time but there is still a lot of damage and I have tonnes of clothes for customers. I am still waiting for the machines to dry out and we need to test them.
“Other dry cleaners are helping me clean the wedding dresses I had and some other items. I am still in the process of assessing the extent of the damage. Thankfully I have a lot of friends helping me but I don’t know how bad it is. No company would provide insurance after the first flood.”
Stormont’s Department for Infrastructure has insisted it “was well prepared for this event” after DUP MLA Gary Middleton described the response as “chaotic” in some areas.
“We were on a heightened state of alert with staff on standby, even though the weather warning was provided at short notice,” a department spokeswoman said.
The department deemed it a “significant event”, and said staff were extremely busy with more than 350 flood-related calls.
Mr Gamlouch also criticised the authorities for “failing to follow through” on long-term planning.
“After the first flood we were invited to meetings by government agencies to assess what could be done. They showed us a massive plan and maps regarding defences but said funding was required. Nothing has happened in five years.
“I don’t understand, we shouldn’t be at the mercy of the weather. This is not going to be the last time this happens. I have to do something to protect the shop, we have been here almost 20 years.
“But whatever I do will not work 100 per cent. There has to be flood defences, they promised us that’s what they’d do. We can’t live like this, worrying every time if there is heavy rain, especially now with climate change.”
The Met Office estimated that 70mm of rain fell across the northwest in five hours on Saturday evening.
An emergency assistance scheme, which can award a flooded household £1,000 (€1,180), is open for applications.
It is not yet known how many applications Derry City and Strabane District Council has received for the Department of Communities money.
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service confirmed it received more than 100 calls and responded to 49 incidents.
Group commander David Doherty told the BBC that the priority as they received calls was lives over property.
