Athlone watches on nervously as water levels rise
There are growing concerns once again in the wider Athlone region over the rising Shannon water levels.
Hundreds of acres of land are already under water in the South Westmeath and South Roscommon region and now fears are rising in flood-prone residential areas in the town.
The scene this morning at the former Showgrounds site at The Big Meadow, Athlone.
At 5pm this evening, the water level at an OPW measuring point south of Athlone Weir was just two and a half centimetres off that which prompted Westmeath County Council to issue flood warning alerts in December 2015.
The level recorded at the Athlone Weir monitoring station is 76 centimetres or two and a half feet (30 inches) below the record measurement when the worst flooding experienced in recent memory occurred on January 4, 2016.
Worryingly, the water levels have risen by over 50 centimetres in the last twelve days, from 35.139mOD on February 8, at 2pm to 35.747mOD and by 10 centimetres today alone.
Mick McQuaid's Bridge near the former St Aloysius College is now closed to traffic and other low-lying roads will also soon be hit.
Mick McQuaid's Bridge, off the Clonown Road, is now closed to traffic.
In a video posted on his Facebook page, former Longford/Westmeath TD Kevin 'Boxer' Moran who remains as Minister of State for Flood Relief, until a new Government is formed, acknowledged people's fears.
He said: “The rainfall has been extraordinary over the last two weeks”.
“I want people to be assured that we have been talking to the council. We have men on the ground and we have also been able to put a plan in place in terms of helping the community if something happens.”
“At this moment in time we are ok up to Sunday, it's what's coming after Sunday. We don't know as yet.”
“We have some room still to play with,” he said, although noting that this would be no consolation to farmers whose land is already under water.
See the Junior Minister's video here:
Fianna Fail TD Robert Troy told the Westmeath Independent he had been in contact with Westmeath County Council who informed him that district staff will continue to monitor the situation on the ground and are ready to deploy defences if and when required.
The council added that the permanent flood defence works undertaken to date will be of great assistance should the river continue to rise.
Flood defence works are effectively completed in Iona Park, Brick Island and in parts of The Docks and Wolfe Tone Terrace/The Strand.
The nature walk along Athlone Canal near The Big Meadow is now completely underwater.