Clonoe and Coalisland hit by flooding

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Homes and roads in Coalisland and Clonoe suffered severe flooding after prolonged heavy downpours hit Northern Ireland.

One home on Moor Road, Clonoe, was flooded for the second time in four years.

Washingbay Road also suffered significant flooding, with homes close to Coalisland becoming submerged in the deluge.

And residents claimed the downpours caused water levels in Coalisland canal to rise by more than four feet.

Counties Tyrone, Fermanagh and Antrim were worst affected by flooding following heavy rain on Monday, October 17.

Police have warned motorists to exercise extreme caution when driving in Fermanagh and Tyrone due to surface water and flooding.

Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill said investigations had started into identifying potential causes.

Responding to a question in the Assembly, the minister said the issue of compensation for those whose homes were damaged had yet to be discussed.

Ms O’Neill said: “Yesterday Rivers Agency deployed 5,500 sandbags, so obviously we were equipped to deal with what happened yesterday. So I don’t think that there is an identified problem there.

“In relation to compensation, it is not something that I considered yesterday. We are still basically cleaning-up from what happened yesterday and having full investigations into the problems.

“And then hopefully, where possible, we can identify programmes of improvement that we can take forward. But compensation is not something that is within the remit of Rivers Agency itself.”

The minister detailed plans for tackling flooding which had been implemented following a taskforce report on the issue.

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