Northern Ireland weather latest: Firefighters attend more than 100 calls due to flooding

IRELAND:  Parts of Northern Ireland has been hit by severe flooding overnight with residents

 in Derry and Strabane having to be rescued from their homes by emergency services.

In six hours last night, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service received 106 emergency 999 calls due to flooding. One person had to be rescued from a vehicle whilst five others trapped in flooded homes were also brought to safety.

A second yellow weather alert for heavy rain has now been issued by the Met Office for Northern Ireland for Sunday, July 24. This warning is in effect from noon to 9 o'clock tonight.

"Between 7:04pm on July 23 and 1:30am on July 24, 2022, Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service received a total of 106 emergency 999 flood-related calls, prompting our Firefighters to respond to 49 operational incidents," a spokeswoman for the organisation stated. Five people who were stranded inside flooded homes were also rescued by NIFRS, one from a submerged vehicle.

Throughout the evening, "NIFRS maintained a routine emergency response, answering a variety of operational occurrences, including special service requests and other crises."

A need for extra sandbag donations has been issued after residents and businesses in several areas of Derry City were entirely damaged by the flooding.

MLA SDLP Foyle According to Mark H. Durkan, he has requested emergency financial relief for families affected in a letter to the Communities Minister.

"Desperate and tough night for many individuals across the area who were fighting water and doing their best to safeguard their own homes and property, as well as their neighbours' homes and property," he wrote in a Facebook post.

"Sadly, many have experienced substantial disruption in addition to significant destruction. The proposed flood protection plans for Eglinton and Drumahoe are moving much too slowly, and there was a scarcity of sandbags, making them unavailable to residents who live in constant fear of flooding." Although many flood victims believe that prior mistakes have not been learned from and warnings have not been heeded, it is fair to commend the workers and volunteers for doing their utmost to assist in terribly trying conditions. In the upcoming days, I will bring up your concerns with a number of agencies.

"Many individuals will need your kindness and assistance, as always. I wrote to the minister of communities pleading with her to start an emergency financial assistance programme for individuals impacted by last night's flooding.

"I would advise anyone who suffered flooding to photograph the damage done. This evidence will be required for applications for financial assistance if the Minister agrees to my request."