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Traffic chaos fears follow floods | Traffic chaos fears follow floods |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Traffic chaos is predicted for Monday after the Fire Service warned it could take 24 hours to clear flood water from a main commuter route into Belfast. | Traffic chaos is predicted for Monday after the Fire Service warned it could take 24 hours to clear flood water from a main commuter route into Belfast. |
At 1300 BST the Broadway underpass on the Westlink was under 20m gallons of water. | At 1300 BST the Broadway underpass on the Westlink was under 20m gallons of water. |
Andrew Murray from the Roads Service said the underpass would probably not be open on Monday and contingency plans were being put in place. | Andrew Murray from the Roads Service said the underpass would probably not be open on Monday and contingency plans were being put in place. |
At least five cars are thought to be under the floods. | At least five cars are thought to be under the floods. |
Motorists were forced to abandon them as the water rose. | Motorists were forced to abandon them as the water rose. |
Mr Murray said: "The water is being pumped out as fast as we can get it pumped out. | Mr Murray said: "The water is being pumped out as fast as we can get it pumped out. |
"But unfortunately it looks as though the underpass will not be open tomorrow morning and we are currently doing contingency planning for that." | "But unfortunately it looks as though the underpass will not be open tomorrow morning and we are currently doing contingency planning for that." |
He said a pumping station was in place which should have been able to cope with the flow. | He said a pumping station was in place which should have been able to cope with the flow. |
However, the Clowney river overflowed into the site and the reason for that is under investigation. | However, the Clowney river overflowed into the site and the reason for that is under investigation. |
On Sunday, the fire service said they were managing to reduce the water level by about six inches every hour. | On Sunday, the fire service said they were managing to reduce the water level by about six inches every hour. |
But a spokesman warned that it could take 24 hours to get the water out of the underpass and that was not allowing for more rain. | But a spokesman warned that it could take 24 hours to get the water out of the underpass and that was not allowing for more rain. |
He said the service was pumping 7,000 litres of water per minute from the road. | He said the service was pumping 7,000 litres of water per minute from the road. |
'4,000 calls' | |
A spokesperson for Northern Ireland Water said it had dealt with more than 4,000 calls over the last two days. | |
He said the team had been working day and night and was liaising closely with other agencies. | |
"We are liaising with the Met Office in relation to possible heavy rainfall in coming days and we are taking all reasonable precautions to protect continuity of our service." | |
Sinn Fein Upper Bann Assembly member John O'Dowd said the authorities were unable to cope with the conditions | Sinn Fein Upper Bann Assembly member John O'Dowd said the authorities were unable to cope with the conditions |
"We were on the ground from about four o'clock in one area in Lurgan, which actually flooded last Tuesday," he said. | "We were on the ground from about four o'clock in one area in Lurgan, which actually flooded last Tuesday," he said. |
"We couldn't get sandbags, we couldn't get anybody from Water Service, Rivers Agency, to take any action. | "We couldn't get sandbags, we couldn't get anybody from Water Service, Rivers Agency, to take any action. |
"They were overwhelmed themselves and there didn't appear to be any coordination at all." | "They were overwhelmed themselves and there didn't appear to be any coordination at all." |