A FERMANAGH family whose property was flooded for the third time in just over a decade has questioned whether more could have been done locally to prevent the devastation caused by Storm Bert on Friday night. Some parts of the North recorded more than half a month’s rainfall over the weekend, with the county feeling the full effects of the devastating storm.
While many local homes were flooded and extensive damage was caused to property, there’s a feeling among some residents that it could have been prevented by the organisations responsible.
Neville Woods’ property, on the banks of Ballinamallard River, was once again severely flooded.
Following years of negotiations with the Rivers Agency, a special grid system has been developed at his home to prevent flooding. But it failed to stand up to the magnitude of the storm.
“I have previously asked what would happen if there was a massive flood and branches and sticks clogged the grid system and the water had nowhere to go,” Mr Woods told the Herald.
“I was in Belfast when I got a phone call at 8.10am from next door, who said that the water had come up to almost the window. Once she said that, I knew our place was flooded.”
Major questions have now been asked of the Department for Infrastructure Rivers Agency. Many residents experienced huge waiting times for help, during which extensive damage was caused.
“The helpline number was experiencing a high volume of calls. We phoned the Rivers Agency for an hour and a half and couldn’t get through,” fumed Mr Woods.
“It took us over three hours to get home and the [Riversale depot] is only four miles from us and they came out at 10.20am when the water was down another foot and then they emptied the grid.
“I got chatting to a worker who came and the supervisor said they didn’t get a notification of a flood on their system. They said the call was not passed on, so that’s why they didn’t come out.”
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