Cloud hangs over rainfall station in Limerick town that takes months to give reading
THE afternoon of Sunday, September 10 won't be forgotten in a hurry by many in County Limerick as the heavens opened.
Drains and gullies couldn't handle the downpour with flooding of houses in Cappamore and excess surface water in many places including Newcastle West .
A farmer in east Limerick was also struck by lightning as he left his cows out after milking.
The flooding prompted Cllr Jerome Scanlan to ask at this month's Newcastle West Municipal District meeting for the actual rainfall level recorded for Newcastle West town from 2.45pm to 4.30pm on Sunday, September 10.
The response from the council said that information is not collected by Limerick City and County Council but they contacted Met Eireann.
“There is a rainfall station at Castle Demesne, Newcastle West (station number 5711) which observes daily. However, returns from this station will not be available for another couple of months, at least. The highest hourly rainfall total at any of our 25 primary weather stations nationwide, in the afternoon, was 8mms at 4pm,” read the written reply.
"So there is a rainfall station in Castle Demesne that is supposed to monitor rain but it takes months to get answers, said Cllr Scanlan.
“I'm surprised we can't get answers,” added the Independent councillor, who spoke of the disastrous flooding in Newcastle West caused by over three inches of rain falling on the area between 7.30pm on July 31 and 1.30am on August 1, 2008.
The town was plunged into a state of panic in the eas the River Arra burst its banks and water surged above homes and businesses - up to 12 feet at its highest on the North Quay where the waters left a truck perched on a riverwall, such was the power, according to reports at the time.
In their response to Cllr Scanlan, the council said the closest rainfall station to Newcastle West for which data has already been collected and quality controlled for September 10, 2023 is Shannon Airport.
“We can say that just over 0.8mm (the day's total) fell at Shannon Airport in the hour before 4.45pm. However, it appears there were thundery downpours on the day, so hourly values were likely different from Shannon Airport's totals,”read the response.
On a similar theme, Cllr Scanlan asked that Limerick City and County Council conduct a comprehensive and immediate survey of the storm water infrastructure of Newcastle West town.
A reply from a senior executive engineer with the council said that Limerick City and County Council has engaged the services of CES Ltd, who has carried out extensive power cleansing of the surface water network in Kilmeedy, Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale.
“The outcome is to determine the condition of the pipe network, clear blockages and supply a video survey to enable the local authority to plan future improvements,” read the council response.