|
Cork City Council has said an investigation into the potential impact of flooding and a rise in sea levels on Cork's infrastructure is already underway, following calls from the Irish Academy of Engineering (IEA) for urgent action on the matter.
According to the IEA report released yesterday, Cork City could be submerged in the next century due to climate change.
The report also outlines that just one metre of flooding would cause a minimum of €300m worth of damage to Cork City.
Acting Director of the IAE, Don Moore, said: "Cork is vulnerable at the best of times. It would appear that sea levels will rise by between half a metre and a metre and that, combined with other weather events, puts Cork at risk.
"We've seen flooding in areas around Cork this week but rainfall in the future will be much more intense. We need to start looking now at what would happen under these new conditions. Infrastructure in Cork, for example, is very vulnerable. Electricity plants, substations, water plants, rail lines and roads are often located either on the coast are in river valleys. Many of these facilities could be knocked out and the city left without utilities for up to a month.
"We're suggesting that responsibility be assigned to an existing government agency, not create a new one, with a clear responsibility to a Minister," says Moore. "The work should immediately start identifying elements of infrastructure at risk from rising sea levels and intense rain.
"We need to put numbers and figures on these events so engineers can work towards a solution. If you have significant floods every 30 years, you can insure against them. If you have significant floods every five years then that's simply uninsurable. In these cases the question arises of whether the it's too expensive to protect these areas and settlements may have to be deserted."
The Council, however, described this as a call for something that is already in existence. Anne Hennessy, an official in the Environment Directorate of the Council said: "We have been involved in a project such as this for some time. The Lee Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management Study (Lee CFRAMS) has been in operation for some time and we're coming to the end of our study. The Office of Public Works (OPW) and its partners, Cork City Council and Cork County Council, have recognised the high levels of existing flood risk in and around the River Lee, its tributaries and Cork Harbour.
"To address this issue, the Lee CFRAMS, a catchment-based flood risk assessment and management study of the entire Lee Catchment, including the River Lee, its tributaries and Cork Harbour, is now being undertaken."
Meanwhile, a Cork Fianna Fail TD has called on the OPW to provide immediate funding for flood prevention in the harbour area.
Deputy Michael McGrath also said it was lucky that no one died in the flooding that put large parts of Glenbrook and Carrigaline under water last Wednesday night.
He requested that the OPW respond quickly and positively to an application for funding by Cork County Council for flood alleviation measures in the Cork Harbour area.
Some parts of Cork experienced its worst flooding for over 20 years last week with areas like Glenbrook, Monkstown, Rochestown, Passage West, Carrigaline, Shanbally and Minane Bridge, among the worst affected.
"The flooding incident at The Glen in Glenbrook was extremely serious and we are fortunate that the only damage was to vehicles and property rather than to human life. A number of homes have been very badly damaged as a result of the flooding. It is essential that every possible step is taken to prevent such incidents occurring again," said Deputy McGrath.
He added that he has been in discussions with the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, Martin Mansergh TD: "He is acutely aware of the need to address the underlying issues urgently. I have also raised in the Dail the need to move ahead with the planned Lower Harbour Sewerage Scheme which will also contribute to a better overall drainage system for the area," added Deputy McGrath.
He also advised that anyone affected by the flooding last week and in need of financial assistance to contact their local community welfare officer: "I know that Cork County Council intend to submit a report to the OPW in the coming days on last week's flooding. I believe the OPW will respond favourably and that essential flood relief works can and will be funded," he concluded.
Comments () » |
 |
 |
News 
RSS Feed
Join Us on Facebook