Gardaí have called on motorists to avoid the town of Midleton in County Cork as it is “currently impassable” due to adverse weather conditions.
Storm Babet has wreaked havoc, prompting the deployment of the Defence Force to provide support in impacted areas.
In a statement, Cork County Mayor Cllr Frank O’Flynn said that a “months’ worth of rain” had been unleashed on the town in the last 24 hours.
He added: “I am especially conscious of the advanced preparations that were undertaken by Cork County Council in mitigating the effects of this event and how, despite every effort, homes, businesses and road users have been impacted.
Britain is set for a deluge of rain
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“I am calling on the people of Cork to please avoid unnecessary travel, take extreme care if you must set off on a journey and please think of vulnerable road users, especially pedestrians and cyclists.”
Parts of the UK have now been warned to brace for “exceptional” rain, severe flooding and powerful winds as Storm Babet makes its way across the Irish Sea.
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A flurry of weather alerts have been issued by the Met Office, with red alerts put out along Scotland’s eastern coast from Carnoustie to Stonehaven.
In such areas, people have been told to expect a “danger to life from fast flowing or deep floodwater”.
Weather alerts have also been issued in areas covering Northern Ireland, most of Scotland and the south coast of England.
The red alert is very rare and in force on Thursday and Friday, with the potential for devastating impacts.
The Met Office has issued red weather warnings
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Rural communities could be cut off for days, the Met Office has warned, due to the powerful conditions hitting power supplies as well as other essential services such as gas, water and mobile phone signal also being lost.
More than 100mm of rain is widely expected in the parts of Scotland set to be struck, with as much as 250mm of rain forecast in some places.
It is the first red warning for rain issued in the UK since Storm Dennis, which came about in February 2020.
The storm killed five people and flooded more than 1,400 homes and business, it followed shortly after Storm Chiara.
On Wednesday, Storm Babet sparked landfall, with a weather warning for heavy rain coming into force at 2pm across Northern Ireland.
Britons will have to brace themselves rapidly with the initial remnants set to reach Scotland overnight.
Gusts in excess of 70mph are likely, the Met Office added.
Another area of low pressure will also arrive from the south on Friday, with an excess of 50mm of rain possible in some places.
