- By Louise Cullen
- BBC News NI environment correspondent
Floodwater has caused extensive damage to shops on Downpatrick’s busiest retail street
“An exceptional natural event” is how Stormont’s Department for Infrastructure described flooding in Downpatrick this week.
Also badly affected were Newry, Kilkeel, Portadown and Templepatrick, with many roads closed and waterlogged fields a common sight.
As the clean-up begins, we ask: is flooding becoming more common in Northern Ireland and what can we do about it?
First thing’s first: who’s at risk?
According to the Department for Infrastructure, 45,000 properties in Northern Ireland are at risk of flooding from rivers, sea or surface water.
Flood Maps NI has a historical flooding overlay. There is also a climate change overlay, based on the best available predictions. All of that data feeds into planning and preparation for floods.
What does that entail?
Flood waters recede but recovery takes longer – cleaning houses, redecorating, claiming on insurance if you’re lucky enough to have it and even trying to find somewhere else to live or operate a business.
Image source, Brendan Digney
