Storm from hell leaves Galway with a massive repair bill
THE ‘storm from hell’ last Friday morning and subsequent flooding over the following days has left the Salthill area with a damages bill likely to exceed €1 million, as the clean-up operation continues this week.
Business premises in the Spanish Parade also took a big hit on Friday when the combination of storm force winds, heavy rains and a huge tidal surge breached most defences – relief has been expressed that there was no loss of life or serious injury.
At one stage on Friday morning, there were fears that a homeless man could have been trapped in a car at the back of the former Waterfront Hotel in Salthill leading to an emergency rescue operation being launched by local Fire Brigade members.
Water was pumped out of the car-park and the vehicles were checked by the Fire Brigade members but all were found to be unoccupied after the search.
Galway Fire Officer, Michael Raftery, told the Sentinel that their priority on Friday morning was to ensure the safety of life and they were relieved to find that there was no-one in any of the cars.
Meanwhile, Galway Chamber President Jim Fennell said the city must look to the development of proper long term flood defences as temporary measures are clearly not adequate.
If necessary, Mr Fennell added, Government must be called upon to provide the requisite capital funding t
City Councillor Billy Cameron urged the city manager, Brendan McGrath, to apply for money from OPW under the minor flood mitigation works and coastal protection scheme.
Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel