Flooding threatened some homes and farmlands in Co Roscommon on Tuesday after widespread heavy rainfall across the region.
Met Éireann had forecast accumulations of 30-55mm of rain as part of its yellow level rainfall warning in place until 9pm on Tuesday night for all of Connacht as well as counties Longford, Louth, Westmeath, Meath, Cavan and Monaghan.
There were particular flooding problems around Lough Funshinagh in Co Roscommon which has risen to abnormal levels over the last five years. On Tuesday, the local council and others acted to save one house from being flooded by raising a road in front of the lake, although one other home has already been permanently abandoned.
⚠️ ⚠️ Storm Christoph has been named, with heavy rain and flooding likely on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday ⚠️ ⚠️#StormChristoph#WeatherAware pic.twitter.com/LHKYniBkfi
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 18, 2021
"This thing is only going to get worse," said Laurence Fallon, Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council who has lost over 25 acres of farmland to the lake .
“And we still have three months of rainfall to go,” Mr Fallon said. “As we speak, if we didn’t intervene today, a second house would have flooded but I’m not sure how long that intervention can last.”
Co Roscommon Fianna Fáil councillor Paschal Fitzmaurice said there had been some flooding of roads in some parts of Balintubber and in areas west of Castlerae. "We had a few areas that have been flooded," he said on Tuesday evening. "There has been nothing major house-wise but there has been a fair bit of flooding."
A rain warning is also in place for Northern Ireland, where the UK Met Office is predicting some flooding caused by heavy rain and hill snow. The warning is valid until midday on Wednesday.
It comes as Storm Christoph sweeps across Britain, bringing a risk of flooding, gales and snow to parts of England.
The storm is expected to bring widespread flooding, gales and snow to parts of the UK, with the Met Office warning homes and businesses are likely to be flooded. It issued a “danger to life” warning due to fast-flowing or deep floodwater and said there is a “good chance” some communities may be cut off by flooded roads.
A major incident has been declared in South Yorkshire in preparation for potential flooding.
