Flooding strikes parts of NI after intense deluge – a quarter of a month’s rain fell in one day

A number of areas of the Province woke up today to scenes of flooding following a sustained downpour overnight.
By Adam Kula
Published 15th Nov 2020, 11:53 BST
Updated 15th Nov 2020, 12:54 BST
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 15th November 2020 - Department for Infrastructure Roads Service engineers clear the Hospital Road near Shaws Bridge in Belfast after heavy rain flooded several locations across Northern Ireland. Photo by Press Eye.Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 15th November 2020 - Department for Infrastructure Roads Service engineers clear the Hospital Road near Shaws Bridge in Belfast after heavy rain flooded several locations across Northern Ireland. Photo by Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 15th November 2020 - Department for Infrastructure Roads Service engineers clear the Hospital Road near Shaws Bridge in Belfast after heavy rain flooded several locations across Northern Ireland. Photo by Press Eye.

In Newtownabbey, parts of the main Shore Road were inundated with water which had failed to drain away, making driving hazardous.

In south Belfast too there were images of some thoroughfares submerged by rainwater.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Meanwhile at the opposite end of the country in west Tyrone, there was flooding on the Gillygooley Road.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 15th November 2020 - Department for Infrastructure Roads Service engineers clear the Hospital Road near Shaws Bridge in Belfast after heavy rain flooded several locations across Northern Ireland. Photo by Press Eye.Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 15th November 2020 - Department for Infrastructure Roads Service engineers clear the Hospital Road near Shaws Bridge in Belfast after heavy rain flooded several locations across Northern Ireland. Photo by Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 15th November 2020 - Department for Infrastructure Roads Service engineers clear the Hospital Road near Shaws Bridge in Belfast after heavy rain flooded several locations across Northern Ireland. Photo by Press Eye.

Trafficwatch NI (@TrafficwatchNI), run by the Department for Infrastructure, said today: “Road users are advised to reduce their speed and exercise caution due to heavy rainfall overnight with surface water affecting a number of roads this morning.”

Translink also said there had been disruption to the Belfast-Londonderry train line, with flooding meaning that passengers had to be bussed to the capital from Antrim town.

The Met Office’s spokesman Marco Petagna told the News Letter that some parts of the Province received roughly a quarter of a month’s rainfall in just 24 hours.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said the downpour was heavier in the east of the Province.

Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 15th November 2020 - PSNI officers divert traffic as Department for Infrastructure Roads Service engineers clear the Hospital Road near Shaws Bridge in Belfast after heavy rain flooded several locations across Northern Ireland. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 15th November 2020 - PSNI officers divert traffic as Department for Infrastructure Roads Service engineers clear the Hospital Road near Shaws Bridge in Belfast after heavy rain flooded several locations across Northern Ireland. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.
Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 15th November 2020 - PSNI officers divert traffic as Department for Infrastructure Roads Service engineers clear the Hospital Road near Shaws Bridge in Belfast after heavy rain flooded several locations across Northern Ireland. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

Between noon on Saturday and noon on Sunday stations in the west saw between four and 10mm of rain.

But in the central and eastern area, this rose to between 13mm and 30.2mm.

That latter reading was recorded at the Portglenone weather station.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The average rainfall for the entire of NI during November is 112mm.

“So you’ve had about a week’s worth of rain in 24 hours,” said Mr Petagna.

He added that some parts of the province could see up to 30mm of rain fall from about 10am today to 5pm.

“Today and yesterday combined, there’s a potential some areas could get towards half a month of rainfall,” he said.

“We do seem to be getting more extreme events.”

A message from the Editor:

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers — and consequently the revenue we receive — we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor

Related topics:ProvinceNewtownabbeyBelfastDepartment for Infrastructure