Midlands Roads Closed Due To Flooding

Local Authority has issued an update from 3PM.

Statement from Laois County Council: 

Two Laois Fire and Rescue crews still assisting with flooding issues around the county. All other crews prepared to give further assistance.

While river levels on the Barrow continue to rise, levels on the Owenass, Pound and Blackwater rivers have peaked and it is anticipated that these will begin to recede in the coming hours.

Roads currently closed due to flooding issues:

R423 at Derrycloney, Mountmellick

Bay Road, Mountmellick

Clonterry, Mountmellick

Manor Road, Mountmellick

Cloncannon, Ballyfin

Old Leighlin Road, Graiguecullen

Coolrain

Kilbricken

LCC staff attending to a flooding issue at one property in Mountmellick and have deployed pumps at N80 Irishtown in order to re-open this route as soon as possible.

LCC staff have deployed flood defences as a precaution on Spa Street and on the river walkways in Portarlington.

Flooding issues still occurring in Kilminchy and other areas in Portlaoise, all being dealt with by LCC staff.

Pairc an Phobail, Portlaoise will be closed for the remainder of today due to flooding and will be examined in the morning to assess whether it can be reopened on Tuesday 25th February.

All river levels will continue to be monitored overnight, please continue to deploy flood defences where available and/or replenish, strengthen flood defences deployed over recent weeks.

Where flooding requires road closures, please use diversionary routes and do not drive through floods.

Further updates will issue as necessary.

Photo credit: Facebook -  Coolrain village co laois

Meanwhile in Offaly, there are also a number of routes closed, the Shannon Harbour to Banagher road, between Shannon Harbour and the junction with the R356 is impassable and Botley Lane in Portarlington is also closed. 

A driver filmed this video of the floods near the Board Walk in Clara. pic.twitter.com/HufH7Ijr1n

— Midlands103 (@Midlands103) February 24, 2020