THE sight of water cascading over, instead of under, the bridge at Coomhola is just one example of how areas that have never been affected by severe weather conditions are now under threat, according to Cllr Danny Collins.

The Independent Ireland councillor said the people of Bantry were on high alert during the day-long torrential downpour last Friday but businesses and residents in the town centre mercifully escaped a flood event.

But he, and other councillors, listed lots of rural areas that were never flooded before are now considered to be danger zones because of the damage caused by the rain, river run-off, and surface water surges.

Torrential rain has fallen in West Cork today, causing widespread spot flooding. Met Éireann has forecast bad weather into next week, with Storm Amy due to hit the region tomorrow. The N71 flooded between Ballydehob and Barnageehy this afternoon. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Senior executive engineer, Kevin Lynch pointed out that rainfall readings taken in Glengarriff showed that 110mm of rain fell within 12 hours.

‘This corresponds to over one month’s rain over 12 hours,’ the engineer told councillors at a meeting of the West Cork Municipal District. The engineer explained how council operatives not only cleaned the gullies before the torrential rain but did so again on Friday in case they got blocked by debris. The engineer noted all of the areas worst affected including the tarred road that was turned to rubble in the Borlin Valley.

‘There is quite an outstanding amount of work to be done to repair the damage but the area office can only do the work if the funding is there.’

Senior executive engineer, John Ahern, said funding has been provided to areas where adverse weather has damaged properties or infrastructure, and he said councillors would be kept updated at each stage of the works.

Storm Amy has made landfall in Ireland today, with gale force winds expected from 2pm onwards. Cork County Council placed pumps in Bantry Square in case of flooding, which didn't happen. Picture: Andy Gibson.

‘It was 12 hours of solid rain,’ said Cllr Collins. ‘This is not climate change. It’s my opinion that common sense has gone out the door because our rivers are not being cleaned or dredged any more.’

He listed all of the areas under water, including Ballylickey, saying ministers came to West Cork in 2017 and 2024 and promised that funding would be provided to rectify the problem but that was just an ‘election stunt’.

Cllr Collins spoke of the fear in the voice of one elderly lady in Ballylickey, who had water all around her house, and was in desperate need of sandbags.

Every time there is a flood, or severe rainfall, Cllr Joe Carroll (FF) said they make a call to write to the minister and the Office of Public Works (OPW) but he said: ‘That’s as useful as writing to Santa Claus.’

Cllr Brendan McCarthy (FG) said the colour coding of severe weather events needs to be refined because while Kerry came under a status orange wind and rain warning, West Cork, its near neighbour, was labelled ‘yellow’.

‘Whoever decides the weather warning needs to reconsider it,’ he added. And in addition to writing to both the minister and the OPW, Cllr Daniel Sexton (Ind Ire) said they need to write to Met Éireann too because their weather warning system isn’t working.