Heavy rainfall across parts of Northern Ireland has led to floods, with some rivers at all-time highs. Bus services in Downpatrick have been axed, and parts of Portadown are still affected, as rainfall accumulates in counties Down, Armagh, and Antrim. The Translink bus operator has suspended almost 10 buses in Downpatrick and said that the depot was inaccessible in both directions due to the floods. Kilkeel, County Down, has sustained serious structural damage on Newcastle Road, and the police have urged people to remain clear and abide by road closure notices and warnings. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service reported 162 calls related to flood-related incidents between the period of 18:00 GMT on Monday and 13.00 on Wednesday.
Its specialized rescue and flood-response units, along with local crews, attended 75 emergency calls, including eight animal rescues and seven “water in electrics” occurrences. The Department for Infrastructure has shared that its flood line had received 1,300 calls after Monday, and 20,000 sandbags were distributed. Teams have been working overnight and remain on high alert; however, it will take time for the flooding to clear. In Downpatrick, high-water levels on Strangford Lough have resulted in flooding due to overflowing in peak tide, and an official said it is challenging to combat.
Restaurant and bar proprietor Bartley Murphy stated that his establishment remained flooded, with water measuring up to four feet. Murphy has expressed concern about the long-term business implications for those affected and appealed to politicians. One couple living on the outskirts of Downpatrick, Norman and Mary Mulholland, have said that the flooding has left the only way in or out of their homes as either hiking more than 15 minutes through waterlogged land or rowing a dinghy 100m. Rodney Watson of Watson Autos, who runs a vehicle retrieval service in Portadown, stated that he had recouped more than 20 vehicles from floodwaters across the town in the past 24 hours
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