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The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Irish Sun
‘Felt like Titanic' – Dramatic moment punters forced to flee as Irish caves submerged in ‘freak' flash flood ‘waterfall'
THIS is the shocking moment a couple had to be rescued from a cave in Co Fermanagh after it was submerged in a "freak" flash flood. The footage showed how Kim Mahon Hay and her husband were caught in the frightening experience at the Marble Arch Caves on Sunday. Advertisement 5 Kim Mahon Hay and her husband Alistair Hay before the cave was flooded Credit: Kim Mahon May 5 They thought the cave would be the perfect place to shelter in heavy rain Credit: TikTok/@our_emeraldhome 5 The cave was submerged under water on Sunday evening Credit: TikTok/@our_emeraldhome 5 It took about 15 minutes until the group were rescued back to the visitor centre Credit: TikTok/@our_emeraldhome Met Eireann warned on Sunday that a status orange rain warning was in place for several areas until Monday afternoon. The alert is classified as for weather that is "dangerous, infrequent or disruptive" and bosses warned that the heavy rain could cause Amber and yellow warnings were in place for much of the north and west of the country while towns in Co Down and Co Fermanagh experienced record levels of rain. The dangerous weather conditions impacted river and coastal flooding, causing "dangerous Advertisement Read more in News It is understood that the heavy rain also caused major traffic disruption and areas, such as Dromcollogher on the Cork-Limerick border, were And a Met Office forecaster estimated that parts of Fermanagh, where Kim and Alistair visited the Marble Arch Caves, may have seen up to 100mm of rainfall in the space of three hours. The couple decided to visit the caves near Florencecourt as both believed it would be the perfect place to shelter from the downpours. But their plans went down the drain when after 30 minutes into the guided tour, the cave was submerged under water after heavy rain battered the area. Advertisement MOST READ IN THE IRISH SUN Kim told us: "We thought we'll go visit the Marble Arch Caves because that way we'll get out of the rain for an hour. "Little did we know that we were going to get soaked in the caves because of the rain coming in. "There was no rain when we arrived at the caves at around 4:15pm. There was kind of a few grey clouds, but at that stage we weren't at any risk of going into the caves. Irish village hit with flood hell after 'heavy rain' and thunderstorms "We were kind of about 30 minutes into the guided tour and there was like a a rumble and then all of a sudden it sounded like a lot of water was coming into the cave. Advertisement "We had a natural waterfalls, we could hear water coming... The water was coming into the pathways that we had to walk around. It kind of reminded me of things from the Titanic." The couple was part of a group of 17 exploring the caves on Sunday evening. Kim also said the Marble Arch Cave staff were "fantastic" from the moment they started receiving radio messages about the bizarre She added: "They had never ever seen anything like that happened before. The tour guide was fantastic. She reassured everybody it was ok. Advertisement "She wasn't panicked. She's remained calm. So I think watching her reaction, I didn't feel that I needed to panic at that stage. "When they realised that the water was actually coming in, they've got a few more staff members down with umbrellas. But the force of the water just kind of buckled the umbrellas and they weren't any good to keep the water off because it was coming in in such force. "I wouldn't say panic because I don't think anybody in the group panicked. Everybody seemed to be very calm. Like the screams was from the freezing cold water, like coming in on top of you. It was ice cold water. "Well, I did like when I definitely, when we turned onto the stairwells and you're looking, of course, the water that you have to walk against and you couldn't actually see the stairs under your feet. Advertisement 'LITTLE AFRAID' "I was probably a little afraid. But at no stage we were fearful that like we were in like great danger as the guides reassured us that we would get out safety fairly." Kim has also explained that it took about 15 minutes until the group were rescued back to the visitor centre. It was her second visit to the Marble Arch Caves - the first one was during a school trip when she was about 11-years. She continued: "I just definitely felt that great sigh of relief when I got to the top. So I must have been frightened to feel that sigh of relief. Advertisement "I definitely was kind of looking back at the videos and reflecting on what happened. And it could have been a very serious situation, so without the quick thinking and action of the staff, it could have been a serious situation. DATE TO REMEMBER "It's definitely a date we'll never forget. But this wouldn't put me off going to visit the caves again. "Myself and husband are actually thinking of taking our daughters there in a couple of weeks time to visit the caves again and finish the church." Kim, who posts under @ Advertisement Hundreds took to the comments section to share their shock over the freak weather event. One said: "Well that's a date you'll never forget." Someone else added: "Well done for cave staff keeping the visitors calm, I think most of us would have been terrified in those circumstances, which sadly could've come out a lot worse then just wet clothing." A third wrote: "That genuinely terrifying and could have been so much worse." Advertisement 5 The couple got caught in a flood while on a day date at Marble Arch Caves last Sunday Credit: Kim Mahon May
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Climate
- Irish Daily Mirror
Weather expert pinpoints areas set to be hit by heavy rainfall in grim forecast
After a miserable Monday for many people in the Eastern parts of the country which saw more than 50mm of rainfall in Dublin and Louth, drier conditions are thankfully on the week this week. However, it seems we are not completely out of the woods just yet, with a weather expert warning that heavy downpours are on the way once again on Tuesday evening, with one area set to be hit hardest. Alan O'Reilly, who mans the ever reliable Carlow Weather social media pages, issued an update to his followers on Monday evening and warned that those based in Southern counties should brace for a some downpours over the coming hours. "Scattered showers Tuesday and some could be heavy in Southern areas later in afternoon and evening," O'Reilly wrote in a post alongside an image of the Harmoine weather model which shows that Kerry, Cork and Waterford are expected to bare the brunt of the miserable conditions. According to Met Eireann, we can expect more settled weather for the rest of the week, with drier and brighter conditions developing, and just occasional showers or outbreaks of rain. The national forecaster has said there will be a mix of cloud and bright spells this morning with scattered showers, mainly in the southwest at first. More frequent showers will then spread from the west later in the morning and early afternoon, turning heavy at times, particularly in the south, where they will continue through the evening. A rather mild day for July is in store, with highest temperatures of 16C to 19C with a light to moderate west to northwest breeze. Showers will continue to become more isolated tonight with dry conditions and clear spells developing for most, although cloud will build from the northwest later with well scattered showers following towards morning. Wednesday is due to begin largely cloudy with some showers, mainly in the northwest. However, sunny spells are expected to develop at times, increasing throughout the day with showers clearing to leave a dry evening for most, with highest temperatures of 16C to 20C with a light to moderate northwesterly breeze, fresher at times near northeastern coasts. Wednesday night is forecast to be mostly dry with long clear spells, although cloud will build from the west towards morning. Thursday will be mostly dry to start with cloud continuing to build from the west bringing a few spots of light rain and drizzle. But there will be some brighter and sunnier spells in the afternoon before outbreaks of rain and drizzle develop near Atlantic coasts later in the evening, with highest temperatures of 17C to 21C degrees expected. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Climate
- Irish Times
Met Éireann records more than 50mm of rain as downpours hit Dublin and Louth
More than 50mm of rain was recorded in parts of counties Louth and Dublin during downpours on Monday. Status Orange rain and thunderstorm warnings for the two counties, as well as Meath and Wicklow, expired at 2pm on Monday. Met Éireann had warned of potential impacts including widespread surface flooding, difficult travelling conditions, lightning damage and very poor visibility. A UK Met Office amber alert for counties Antrim, Armagh and Down was in effect until 8am on Monday. The same three counties remain under a yellow rain alert until 6pm on Monday. READ MORE Met Éireann forecaster Brandon Creagh on Monday said 60mm of rainfall had been recorded in Dundalk, Co Louth since the early hours. He said there was 50mm of rain in Ardee, Co Louth, and 54mm in the Phoenix Park and Glasnevin in Dublin. He said coastal conditions were stable, while some smaller rivers posed a risk of flooding. In Dublin, Children's Health Ireland said there was flooding at Temple Street hospital but this had 'no major impact on patient care'. It said families would be contacted if any appointments or care plans were affected. 'Our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of our patients, families and staff.' In Co Fermanagh, footage posted online showed flood waters in the Marble Arch Caves as well as on a number of roads including Sligo Road in Enniskillen, which was described as impassable by police on Sunday. Flooding near Damastown Avenue, Co Dublin on Monday morning. Photograph: Alan Betson A PSNI spokeswoman said: 'Please take care when travelling, slow down, and exercise caution on affected roads.' A Met Éireann status yellow warning for counties Kildare and Monaghan expired at 2pm on Monday. This warned of the potential for localised flooding and difficult travel conditions. Limerick City and County Council said it responded to a flash flooding incident in the Dromcollogher area on Sunday evening. Sandbags were distributed to protect at-risk local properties, with farmers supporting the effort by supplying water pumps. 'Fire crews stood down at approximately 2am as water levels had receded,' the council said. 'All roads in the area are open this morning. Motorists are advised to proceed with caution.' The latest forecast suggests other parts of the State will be drier on Monday, albeit with some isolated showers. 'Later in the afternoon, rain in the east will ease and become patchy. Highest temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees in moderate, occasionally fresh, northwest winds,' Met Éireann said. 'Tonight it will become largely dry as any lingering rain in the northeast clears, leaving clear spells and isolated showers for the night. Lowest temperatures of 11 to 14 degrees in light west to northwest winds.' [ St Swithin's Day: It's raining today - will it rain for the next 40 days? Opens in new window ] Tuesday morning will be dry for the most part with bright spells and isolated showers. However, more frequent showers are expected to spread from the west through the morning and early afternoon, with high temperatures of 15 to 19 degrees. Wednesday and Thursday are to be drier days, with isolated showers forecast. Outbreaks of rain and drizzle will develop on western and southwestern fringes later on Thursday, when temperatures will reach highs of 18 to 22 degrees. Friday is forecast to get off to a cloudy start with scattered showers, but with sunny spells developing later in the day and temperatures rising to highs of 20 degrees. There is to be plenty of dry weather on Saturday, with sunny spells and showers, though there is a chance of more persistent rain on Sunday.
Powys County Times
3 days ago
- Climate
- Powys County Times
Parts of Northern Ireland saw almost full month's worth of rain in 24 hours
Parts of Northern Ireland saw more than 85% of the average July rainfall come down over a 24-hour period, according to forecasters. Warnings over rain applied to significant parts of the island of Ireland on Monday following a night of heavy downpours. The deluge resulted in localised flooding across parts of the island following a series of weather alerts on Sunday, with the unseasonably high rainfall dampening the start of the week. The weather also brought difficult travelling conditions, lightning damage and poor visibility in the worst-affected areas. The Met Office issued a yellow-level rain warning for the east coast of Northern Ireland that is due to expire at 6pm. Forecasters had warned that some areas could see half a month's worth of rain in less than a day. The region normally records an average of 89mm of rain in July but falls of between 50-75mm had been predicted over a period of just 12 to 18 hours. Killowen in Co Down recorded 68mm of rain since 5pm on Sunday, the Met Office said around 2pm on Monday – the highest amount of rainfall across the UK. It normally sees 80.75mm of rain for the whole month. Elsewhere, Murlough in Co Down saw 60mm of rain in the same period – 87% of its July average of 69mm. The Met Office said other areas likely experienced higher amounts. Meanwhile, the heavy rain brought flooding at the Marble Arch Caves, a famous tourist attraction in Co Fermanagh. A spokesperson said it had never happened before, describing the occurrence as a 'highly unusual weather event'. A couple who were part of an evacuation prompted by a rush of water said they would not be put off returning. The agency had put a 24-hour yellow-level rain warning in place for Antrim, Armagh and Down until 6pm on Monday. A more intense amber-level warning was temporarily put in place overnight but lifted early. Forecasters had warned that there was a risk that homes and businesses could be flooded. The Met Office also cautioned that some communities could be cut off by flooded roads while fast-flowing or deep floodwater could pose a danger to life. Northern Ireland saw heavy rain in the last 24 hours, with 68mm recorded at Killowen – and likely higher amounts elsewhere. The southeast also picked up some fairly large totals this morning 🌧️ Here are the rainfall totals since 5pm yesterday 👇 — Met Office (@metoffice) July 21, 2025 A yellow-level thunderstorm warning was in place for the western half of Northern Ireland between midday and 8pm on Sunday. Flooding affected routes in Fermanagh with the Marble Arch Road, Florencecourt, and Sligo Road, Enniskillen, both described as impassable by police for a time. A PSNI spokeswoman said: 'Please take care when travelling, slow down, and exercise caution on affected roads.' In the Republic of Ireland, a status orange rain warning for Dublin, Louth, Meath and Wicklow came into effect from midnight and expired at 2pm on Monday. Irish national forecasting agency Met Eireann said there was a chance of thunderstorms amid persistent and heavy rain. A less severe warning for the Kildare region also expired at 2pm. The downpours across Sunday and Monday brought localised flooding to parts of Limerick and Louth. The warnings followed other alerts about thunderstorms in the east of the country and increased rain in the south-west on Sunday.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Climate
- The Irish Sun
‘Shocking scenes' as Irish village ‘cut off' & homes evacuated in ‘unprecedented' freak 2-hour flash floods chaos
IRELAND is currently being battered by "very heavy rain" with a Status Orange warning in effect for six counties. A major clean-up is underway after in Dromcollogher, on the Cork-Limerick border, following a flooding crisis, with health and safety hazards being reviewed. Advertisement 6 Many areas in the country suffered flooding due to the weather madness Credit: © 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved 6 Dromcollogher was highly impacted by the flash floods Credit: Facebook/Councillor Michael Collins 6 The roads were impassable Credit: Facebook/Councillor Michael Collins Met Eireann warned yesterday that a Status Orange, an alert classified as "dangerous, infrequent or disruptive" by the weather bosses, for heavy rain could cause The dangerous weather conditions impact river and coastal flooding, causing "dangerous And Dromcollogher was one of the many worst hit by the flooding during the Footage and images are being shared on Advertisement READ MORE ON NEWS The main streets were completely flooded by the intense rain, with many turbulent swirls and small debris being swept along the water down the streets. The small village was completely cut off via three main arteries – the pike, the R522, the R515, leaving the area unreachable. And flood water rushed into several homes in the area and has caused damage, forcing residents from their homes. A coordinated pumping operation was established to lower water levels near the Dromcollogher Respite Centre, where an evacuation was required. Advertisement Most read in Irish News It is reported that Limerick Civil Defence was on site to assist with the evacuation of residents. Humanitarian aid was issued to residents of some areas as the crisis continues to batter the village. Local councillor Michael Collins confirmed that the council housing directorate is arranging emergency accommodation for the families affected. Irish village hit with flood hell after 'heavy rain' and thunderstorms And Councillor Jerome Scanlan told Live95: "One would have to see it to believe it. It's just something I'd never witnessed before," Advertisement In the wake of the flash floods, members of the Emergency services from Limerick Fire and Rescue Service, based at Newcastle West, Abbeyfeale and Rathkeale, were deployed to the village after the main access to the village was cut off. Councillor Michael Collins stated that sandbags were distributed to protect local properties at risk, and local farmers provided additional support by supplying water pumps. Sharing videos of the freak flooding he said: "Some shocking scenes of flash flooding in Dromcollogher this evening. I have been in contact with Council management. Advertisement "Fire crews and roads staff are onsite. I had driven through Dromcollogher earlier and all was quiet and peaceful. "Hope everyone is safe at this point." 'PROCEED WITH CAUTION' The council stated the water levels have "subsequently receded naturally", and the fire crews stood down around 2am while other council staff remained in the area to continue assessing the situation. A spokesperson for the council said: "As of this morning, all roads in the area are open. However, motorists are advised to proceed with caution. Advertisement "A clean-up operation is currently underway." Bus services through the village are cancelled until further notice, with services being diverted. The Irish Sun has reached out to Councillor Michael Collins and Francis Foley for a comment on the flooding situation. DUBLIN CITY Elsewhere, Advertisement And many spot floods were reported in the capital, prompting emergency crews to be deployed and monitor the affected areas. Flood gates were blocked from Ballsbridge to Landsdowne Road Bridge, where the high tide at 9.03am passed without any problems. The Camac was the only river to record Orange level volumes. Since 4am, gully teams and emergency crews have been deployed to monitor Leix Road in Cabra, where an emergency pump was installed. Advertisement Although there was a lot of spot flooding, the council stated that no buildings were in grave danger. Hilcrest walk in Lucan has also fallen victim to severe flooding. 'SERIOUS FLOODING INCIDENT' Councillor Caroline Brady warned on social media: "There's been another serious flooding incident on Hillcrest Walk this morning following heavy overnight rain. "I reported flooding here last week — Oxygen Environmental attended and cleared the drains — but clearly, there are underlying issues that go beyond surface drainage." Advertisement Flooding was also reported to have been affecting other parts of West The 6 Residents were left stranded as the streets were filled to the brim with flood waters Credit: Carlow Weather/x 6 Dublin also suffered some spot flooding Credit: © 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved Advertisement 6 Emergency crews were deployed across the country to deal with spot flooding Credit: © 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved
