The village of Blackwater in Wexford is flooded following torrential rain and a high tide.
36 hours of rain meant the river Blackwater running through the picturesque village of the same names was at the highest level in many years. Two pubs, the local supermarket, a restaurant and a number of houses were left under several feet of water.
The swollen river swept through the village carrying flood debris including a car which had been parked overnight in Blackwater.
Even though the flooding caught residents by surprise, with many coming out to view the scene, the cleanup operation is already underway. Local people are assessing the damage to their property, and businesses, on the busy bank holiday weekend, with one man declaring,
I’ve never seen anything like it before, it runs into thousands, I would imagine.
County Council engineers have been surveying possible structural damage to the bridge in the centre of Blackwater. For residents, the main concern is tonight’s high tide, and a forecast of even more rain.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 4 August 1997. The reporter is Flor McCarthy.
