'We're on alert all the time' - Dungiven flood victim
A Dungiven man whose home was flooded during the weekend's torrential rains, with up to three inches of water running through the house, is calling on the Roads Service to fix the storm drains in the town to prevent it happening again.
Dermot Beatty's Main Street home started flooding on Sunday morning; the second time in recent months he was forced to make a desperate call to the Fire and Rescue Service.
"The problem is the main storm drains in Dungiven can't cope with heavy rain and the result is that the water comes back up through the gullies," Mr. Beatty told the 'Journal'.
"We have a gully at our front door and one about five steps away on the footpath outside. The front door is back off the footpath and there's a slope down towards it with the result that when the water starts to come up through those gullies it heads straight for our front door.
"The problem is just as bad at the back and side of the house. At one stage my wife was in the kitchen and the water was up over her ankles. We're on alert all the time."
Mr. Beatty is prepared to do whatever it takes to remedy the problem but made an impassioned plea to the Department of Regional Development for help.
"Something has to be done. We are scared to leave the house for any length of time at all now. We can't go away for a weekend. You're wondering if the rain comes on when you are away what will we be coming back to."
Limavady Mayor, Sinn Fein councillor Cathal OhOisin said he would be contacting Roads Service and added: "This will require some major work on the part of the Roads Service to prevent this happening in the future."
A DRD spokesperson said: "Roads Service attended this property on Sunday and on Monday. Roads Service is investigating the incident and would be happy to meet with Mr Beatty."
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Weather for Derry
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
