Cork experiences a month of rain in 24 hours as Storm Babet rages on

Fiona Frawley

Orange warnings advise that “heavy rain” could cause flooding, reduced or poor visibility and dangerous road conditions.

Multiple counties have been issued with Status Orange weather warnings as Storm Babet has arrived in Ireland.

Earlier in the week, the storm was named by the UK Met Office as Met Éireann stated that heavy rainfall was expected on Tuesday and Wednesday, especially across southern parts of the country.

This came to pass, with subsequent reports of flooding and power outages in some southern counties.

In a statement issued at around midday on Wednesday regarding the impacts of Storm Babet, Cork City Council said:

“Significant flooding is occurring across the city which has impacted motorists this morning and led to traffic delays.

“South Terrace and adjoining streets, were seriously impacted by surface water this morning as was North Mall and the South City Link Road.

“Lavitts Quay, Popes Quay and Wandesford Quay in the city centre and Glanmire, Rochestown and Blarney were also flooded badly.

“Heavy rain is expected until lunchtime today but then it will begin to ease meaning river levels can drop and roads can be re-opened.”

Storm Babet: Status Orange warnings issued as Cork suffers ‘significant flooding’

Meanwhile, two Status Orange rain warnings from Met Éireann are in place for three counties.

The first has already taken effect and applies to Waterford. It will be valid until 4pm on Wednesday.

The second, meanwhile, is for Wexford and Wicklow and will be valid from 2pm until 8pm the same day.

Both alerts warn of “heavy rain” and “strong and gusty east to southeast winds”, with the possible impacts of the conditions listed as flooding, reduced or poor visibility and dangerous road conditions.

In a statement on Twitter, Mayor of County Cork Cllr Frank O’Flynn warned that the county had experienced “a month’s worth of rain falling in just 24 hours”, on top of already saturated land and higher river levels. He advised the people of Cork to avoid unnecessary travel, and to take extreme care on unavoidable journeys.

? Statement from Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Frank O’Flynn

ℹ️ https://t.co/ondrpIKkUI pic.twitter.com/xpKeZaNQXG

— Cork County Council (@Corkcoco) October 18, 2023