GALLERY: Boats sunk in sudden storm
A NUMBER of boat owners were left counting the cost last night after their vessels sank in a freak storm which hit the Co Down coast.
High tides and strong winds combined to sink five boats which had been moored at Newcastle quay on Sunday night. No one was on board.
As torrential rain and driving winds battered much of the province yesterday, boat owners and harbour officials braved the conditions to salvage the sunken crafts.
By late evening many of the boats had been successfully refloated and moved to a safer location.
Harbour master Brin Lewis said the stricken boats had been along the wall of the south quay when they were battered by huge waves.
"We don't know the extent of the damage as yet," said Mr Lewis yesterday.
"But, as the tide is now rapidly ebbing, the owners will be able to assess the damage and, hopefully, pump them out and restore them."
Down district councillor Desmond Patterson, who visited the scene, described the weather conditions as "atrocious".
"This storm came from nowhere and I think many of those who had boats down at the harbour were caught unawares," said Mr Patterson.
"The sea has been extremely rough since early morning, I haven't seen it as bad as this since last winter's storm.
"Thankfully, we are just talking about boats being swamped here and it is a great relief that no one was on board."
RNLI volunteer Gary Law said the rescue service was not needed, but expressed his alarm at the extent of the sudden storm.
"The RNLI were not called in this instance, and there is obvious relief that no one was caught out at sea in this storm," said Mr Law.
"While cases where boats have been sunk by high waves is not unheard of, to have a storm of this severity at this time of year is highly unusual.
"I would hope that all members of the public will act responsibly – with this type of weather a rogue wave can come from nowhere – so I would urge everyone to take care until this storm passes."
l Northern Ireland saw almost three-quarters of the average rainfall for September fall within the last 24 hours.
A weather forecaster from MeteoGroup UK said Glenarm in Co Antrim had seen the worst of the rain.
"Glenarm was the wettest place with 24mm of rainfall is just six hours," said meteorologist Paul Mott.
"Northern Ireland has just had one of its wettest days for some time, and this would undoubtedly have caused some localised flooding and difficult driving conditions.
"Overall, the province saw around 60mm, which is very close to three-quarters of the average rain for September."
The forecaster said Ulster could expect more "unsettled weather" over the next few days, "but nothing like the same amount of rainfall as we have seen", he added.
There were a number of traffic accidents across the country yesterday, as motorists faced horrendous driving conditions.
Police urged drivers to take care on the Dublin Road in Newry after a number of manhole covers were forced off as drains struggled to cope with the rising water levels.
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Weather for Belfast
Monday 28 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
