Coastal winds and tides cause chaos

STORM DAMAGE A footpath was ripped up and tossed onto the tarmacadam at Dooagh Beach on the west end of Achill Island. Pic courtesy of Róisín Lavelle

Coastal winds and tides cause chaos


Stormy weather set to continue for the weekend

Michael Duffy

THE violent storm that battered the Mayo coastline last night has been described by many locals as the worst to have hit the area for many decades.
Residents of areas along the Mayo coast this morning were assessing the damage caused by the storm, with roads closed in a number of areas including Belmullet, Newport and Westport. The River Moy in Ballina had also burst its banks.
Mayo County Council has stated that staff have been responding at local level to the problems caused by the severe weather over the past 24 hours.
County Secretary John Condon said the strong winds, heavy rainfalls and high tides have caused flooding in coastal areas, including Ballina, Belmullet and Westport. He said the Council’s Fire Brigade Staff and road workers had worked throughout the night to deal with these problems.
Mr Condon also advised people to avoid unnecessary journeys in order to avoid risks from falling objects, and he warned owners of vacant property to check their premises for damage and to ensure that properties are secure in advance of tonight’s expected high tide.
Finally, he said all householders in low-lying coastal areas should prepare for tonight’s high tide, with the council providing sandbags locally.
Met Éireann is predicting a return of the strong winds and stormy weather this Sunday.

See next week’s Mayo news for full coverage of the severe storms that have struck the Mayo coastline.