Saturday, November 23, 2024 Storm Bert has unleashed significant damage across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, leaving homes flooded, thousands without power, and transportation networks heavily disrupted. With heavy rain, strong winds, and snowmelt causing rivers to overflow, the storm has become the second named storm of the 2024/25 season. In Northern Ireland, the counties of Down and Tyrone were among the hardest hit.
Up to 10 homes in Coalisland have been flooded, while several properties near Moat Park, Dundonald, remain submerged in dirty floodwater. Fire crews have been deployed to pump water from affected areas, with residents in Park Avenue unable to leave their homes. Kelly Kitchen, a Dundonald resident, described the devastation her son faced: “He woke up to find his house flooded with water, and even the fridge was floating in the kitchen.
” Some residents have sought refuge in a nearby church hall while firefighters continue their efforts to reduce water levels. The flooding has also impacted local businesses, with a mail distribution center in Mallusk, Newtownabbey, among the properties inundated. Storm Bert has caused widespread travel disruptions.
The railway line between Belfast and Antrim remains closed, while services between Belfast and Dublin have only recently resumed. Roads across Northern Ireland have been closed due to rockfalls, landslides, and fallen trees, including the Greenhill Road in County Fermanagh and sections of the A4. A .
