Newry residents faced significant disruption on New Year’s Day after a security alert forced many to evacuate their homes. About a dozen homes in the Drumgullion Avenue area of the city were affected after a suspicious object was discovered. Police and Army technical officers were on the scene throughout the evening, with cordons in place to prevent people from entering the affected area. Heavy rain complicated the security personnel’s task, making it more difficult to keep the area secure and safe.
The Meadow and Armagh Road Community Centre on Killeavy Road was opened up for affected residents, who had to make emergency arrangements on New Year’s Day. The police have not yet provided an update on the situation. Killian Feehan, a Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) councillor, criticized the disruption caused to the local community. He urged affected residents to be patient with the emergency services as they worked to make the area safe.
The police also asked motorists to avoid the area near the busy Armagh Road while the emergency was ongoing, disrupting the already-limited traffic flow. Meanwhile, local residents said the security operation could last throughout the evening, with rumours of the potential presence of some dangerous explosive devices still high. The emergency operations were made even more difficult by the heavy rainfall, which went on throughout the day.
The situation created anxiety among nearby residents. Many people had to make alternative arrangements for shelter on New Year’s Day, making it difficult to start 2022 in peace. The police and army officers accomplished a difficult task of keeping the area safe, and the work makes clear the risks posed to communities and the lengths to which our emergency services must go to neutralize such threats
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