Sand bags and firemen prevent disaster

Sand bags and firemen prevent disaster

13 January 2016

RESIDENTS in Annsborough whose homes were threatened by flood water three times in just over a week are meeting with officials from a number of statutory organisations this afternoon.

Representatives from Transport NI, the Rivers Agency, Housing Executive and Newry, Mourne and Down Council will meet with angry residents who will be joined by local politicians.

Annsborough Park residents say had it not been for the work of the Fire and Rescue Service a huge deluge of water which gathered outside their homes on December 29, January 4 and 6 would have swamped their properties.

Residents say more must be done and that the flooding issue must be addressed as a matter of urgency by the various statutory agencies.

Mr Martin Sloan said the water came within six inches of entering people’s homes last Tuesday night.

“If the firemen had not been here we would have been flooded. They saved our homes. We cannot thank them enough but feel the other statutory agencies have abandoned us. Not one of their representatives have been to see us. Why?

“Our homes were severely flooded in 2008 and now they have almost been swamped three times in just over a week. Last Tuesday’s incident was the most threatening with water cascading down from Ardnabannon and Mill Hill either side of our homes leading to a major flood which also resulted in a nasty car accident.”

Mr Sloan explained homes are below the level of the main road and that the volume of water going into the drains was such that it forced a manhole cover to lift about six inches.

“The water had nowhere to go but towards our homes. Had it not been for the firemen we would have been faced with a massive clean-up operation. Local man James O’Hare also got us sand bags which was a massive help and we can’t thank him enough for what he did. There is a 12-inch high wall at the entrance to my garden and flood water was pouring over it like a mini Niagara falls at one stage,” he continued.

“We feel we have been left on our own. We have gone public with our concerns to highlight this problem and are now worried every time there is heavy rain. No one from any of the agencies who deal with flooding have yet been to see us which is concerning.”

Mr Sloan said while other parts of Northern Ireland are badly affected by severe flooding, residents at Annsborough Park “deserved the courtesy” of being visited by government officials.

He continued: “We are now more interested in weather forecast than news bulletins. That is how concerned we are. Last Tuesday night’s flood, which lasted well into Wednesday was bad. When there is heavy rain, we feel ‘here we go again.’ The situation was mayhem. There was a bad accident near our home and the flooding is now impacting on road safety.”

Mr Sloan said one of his neighbours is house-bound and has carers calling with her several times a day. He explained sand bags had to be piled up to provide the carers with access to the woman’s home during the flood.

He added: “Many farmers have been badly hit in other areas and we sympathise with them. But we have a flooding problem that must be addressed. This issue must be fixed. Behind every problem there is a solution and we are demanding one is found. 

“Money has been made available to address flooding problems and we believe some should be spent in our area. We have had enough, our backs are to the wall and we don’t want to live in fear every time there is heavy rain. We feel let down and abandoned. We want this problem addressed to make sure it does not happen again.”

Today’s meeting with representatives from Transport NI, the Rivers Agency, Housing Executive and Newry, Mourne and Down Council starts at 4pm at Annsborough Park.