Clean up operation in Marble Arch Caves complex after exceptionally heavy rain saw emergency evacuation
The Marble Arch caves in Enniskillen remain closed today while a clean up operation swings into place from extreme weather.
Yesterday a woman who was visiting the underground tourist attraction during a cloudburst recounted how they were quickly evacuated by staff as water poured into the caves from above.
Kim and Alistair Hay, a married couple from Co Donegal living in Tyrone, visited the popular tourist attraction on Sunday afternoon.
The Met Office said that parts of Northern Ireland saw almost one month’s worth of rain in 24 hours, with a yellow weather warning in place from 6pm on Sunday until 6pm last night.
Kim said that because the Marble Arch Caves guides were so calm, “fast-thinking” and had a plan, they did not panic.
“The team was amazing, I don’t think at any point that we feared for our lives,” Mrs Hay told PA.
Today the caves are closed for a major clean up operation, as staff clear sediment and sand from paths and stairs in the complex.
It is understood the caves are due to open again on Thursday morning.
Kim said that two children on the tour were a bit frightened, but their parents and guides assured them that they were safe.
“We were speaking to the manager, she came and talked to us after and she reassured everyone that in her 20 years of working there, she had never seen anything like that before. “It was quite the experience.”
She added: “I think it was definitely one of those things where you can just look back and be very thankful that everybody got out safe, nobody was injured.
“On reflection, I think the more we watch the video ourselves, the more we realise it could have went horribly wrong, except for the fast, quick action of the staff getting everybody out to safety.”
Since 6pm on Sunday Killowen in Co Down recorded 71.8mm of rain against a July average of 80.75mm, the Met Office said late yesterday afternoon.
The country-bound lane of the M12 road off the M1 at Portadown was closed most of yesterday due to flooding.
On Sunday night the Marble Arch Road, Florencecourt and Sligo Road, Enniskillen were both impassable. The Blacks Road underpass in west Belfast was also difficult to pass yesterday due to high water.