Communities across the north have rallied after Storm Bert caused ‘devastating’ flooding to homes over the weekend.
The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) said it responded to more than 500 incidents on Saturday, while the fire service received 85 flood-related calls inside six hours.
Coalisland and Dundonald experienced some of the worst flooding.
Mid Ulster SDLP councillor, Malachy Quinn said it was the worst flooding he had witnessed in the Co Tyrone town.
“The houses on Kings Row that, unfortunately, have been affected all the time by flooding, they’re destroyed.
“People have had to seek temporary accommodation; some have had to, unfortunately, go outside Mid-Ulster to find that – some as far as Limavady.”
“It’s just devastating for families.”
Local GAA Clubs and business were among those coming to the aid of people impacted – one local business even offered containers for residents to use for storage.
“You had people on the ground helping out each other, putting out phone calls – residents all over offering food, offering shelter if it was needed," added the councillor.
He said that residents were ‘frustrated’ that flooding incidents had impacted their homes multiple times over recent years.
He said long-term solutions were needed, and added that the emergency flood grants of £1,000 from the Department for Communities weren’t ‘going to come close to sorting out the damage’.
Independent councillor Dan Kerr also acknowledged the financial impact on residents: “It’ll set them back. Anytime of the year’s bad, but just in particular before Christmas.”
He said the flooding forced a family to relocate a wake.
“A resident said that at 8 o’clock that morning everything was good, there was no water. Then within a few hours, there was water in their property.”
Both councillors commended the response from council and the emergency services, as did Pastor Paul Grey from Crosspoint Church in Dundonald, which opened its doors as a shelter for families and as a hub for emergency services on Saturday.
Flooding in parts of Dundonald impacted around 20 families, with some trapped in their homes by rising water.
Pastor Grey handed over the usage of the hall for emergency services in the event they would need it overnight.
“It wasn’t needed in the end. They were very resourceful,” he said.
“Everyone was rehomed by about 5pm – they all got accommodation by then,” he said.
Some families were able to stay with local relatives while others, such as an Iranian family who are members of the church, were supported until they were found somewhere to stay.
“The community just rallied round.
“People in Dundonald are just like that; they’re very, very helpful and committed to their community.”
