A full review into the recent flooding which besieged north Armagh at the end of July will be carried out by Council.
The spotlight will be shone on the haphazard approach at dealing with the flash flooding after Sinn Fein tabled a notice of motion on Tuesday night.
That motion called on Council to arrange a multi-agency meeting with lead government officials and elected representatives, to discuss how to improve their response in future.
Parts of Lurgan and Dromore were badly affect by flash flooding, with many homes and businesses destroyed.
Proposed by councillor Keith Haughian, the motion gained the backing of his ABC counterparts at a full sitting of Council.
“Council have a pivotal role to play in bringing the relevant agencies and departments together for a full review of the recent flooding events,” said councillor Haughian.
“Many families of north Lurgan especially Westwood and surrounding areas showed great patience and community spirit during this stressful time.
“Homes were flooded, cars were damaged, and residents were frightened.
“On the ground there was very little coordination amongst the different agencies and it is paramount that we now review the events and ensure that, in future, we have clear lines of communication open to and between those agencies.
“The floodline number was used by all impacted as well as by ourselves as we assessed the risk on the ground. However residents and councillors alike could not get through. This added to a sense of fear on the day. This cannot happen again.”
Councillor Liam Mackle, who seconded the motion, added: “The scenes in Deans Walk and Glebe Close were equally as horrific. Many residents are still dealing with the aftermath.
“We also called for a review of the underlying infrastructure in the affected areas. As our population increases, there is extra strain on the services that are provided.
“We would like to be assured that our infrastructure is fit for purpose in the likely event of future incidents such as these witnessed at the end of July.”
Most read today
Operator’s Licence Notice
