Two families evacuate homes after flooding in Roscommon, Ireland

DUBLIN, Ireland: Recently, two families have been compelled to evacuate their residences near Curraghboy village in Roscommon due to severe flooding, particularly around Lough Funshinagh.

One mother, accompanied by a young baby, was among those who had to vacate their home due to the rising waters at Lough Funshinagh. "It is with huge regret that we inform you that last evening two homes had to be evacuated. In one instance, a mother with a very young baby was asked to pack her belongings, and in the other case, access to the house became too dangerous," said the social media post.

In the post, they highlighted their efforts from eight years ago to raise the issue with authorities, only to be disregarded with the explanation that the lake's water levels fell within the "natural occurring range."

Today, however, the ongoing flooding continues to wreak havoc on lives, livelihoods, and the local infrastructure, including major disruptions to roads and the destruction of natural habitats.

Consequently, the council has implemented a diversion route along N-63, R-357, R-363, cautioning of potential delays on these roads. Additionally, the flooding from Lough Funshinagh has led to the closure of three local roads.

In response to the crisis, Roscommon's representatives in the Dail voiced their concerns to the Tanaiste, urging immediate action. "An emergency order can be issued by Government for a temporary measure to get the water moving which will work until a permanent solution is found. That has the backing of the National Parks and Wildlife Service," Independent Ireland TD Michael Fitzmaurice said.

"It has the backing of every politician around the place. I am asking the Tanaiste to do this next Tuesday or sooner if he can."

Acknowledging the severity of the situation, Tanaiste Micheal Martin emphasized the need for urgent action to protect the affected communities. "I will talk to the Minister for the Environment about whether we can give support to Roscommon County Council to ensure it has a robust position to advance. That may happen in the context of a new engineering solution because that could also face legal action," he said.