A further meeting of the National Coordination Group to discuss the on-going severe weather was convened in the (NECC) National Emergency Coordination Centre today to discuss the threat posed by rising rivers, to review the response to date, to assess the impact of the storms on infrastructure and communities and to ensure that the response of relevant local authorities, Government Departments and Agencies continues to be coordinated.
The risk of tidal flooding will recede in the coming days, because the seasonal high tides have passed. Met Éireann reported that the current unsettled weather is likely to continue for the next number of days and that there will be heavy rainfall particularly in the South, South West and South East on Friday and into the weekend. This rain will serve to top up the already near capacity of our rivers and poses a major risk. This risk is heightened in slow moving rivers and particularly the Shannon. The Barrow, Nore and Slaney are also at very high levels and any additional rain may cause serious flooding.
The group advised that there is a body of information in relation to the levels of water in our major rivers on www.waterlevel.ie there is also advice on how to deal with episodes of flooding on www.flooding.ie the public are advised to check out these websites or to contact their local authority for further information
Each storm and severe weather warning issued by Met Eireann is monitored by the Department as Lead Government Department for severe weather emergencies and contact is on-going with Met Eireann, the local authorities and the transport and energy sectors. Local Authorities are on high alert are planning and making the necessary preparations for further flooding.
The Department of Social Protection plays an important role in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of emergency events such as the recent severe weather conditions. The Department’s response comprises two core elements – [1] the issuing of Exceptional Needs Payments and Urgent Needs Payments and [2] the Humanitarian Assistance scheme.
The Department’s Community Welfare Service provides Exceptional Needs and Urgent Needs Payments to offset immediate needs, for example assistance with the purchase of food, clothing, fuel and household goods. Emergency clinics are in place to provide assistance to those in the worst affected areas. This service is being supplemented by facilitating customers by appointments and making house calls to those requiring this level of support. Officials are continuing to engage with staff in the relevant local authorities and Community Welfare Service contact details are being provided to those seeking support.
The Department of Social Protection also operates the Humanitarian Assistance scheme, which is focused on household damage specifically in flooding cases. The scheme, which is means-tested, is available to assist people whose homes are damaged by flooding and who are not in a position to meet costs for essential contents, household items and in some instances structural repair. The Government has not set a limit on the amount that can be paid to an individual household under this scheme.
The Chairman also requested that the public would continue to heed the safety warnings of the authorities, and noted that fortunately there have been no fatalities in the current flooding episodes.
The Co-ordination group will meet again tomorrow (7/2/2014) and a further update will issue following that meeting.