Dublin in travel chaos after flooding

The city of Dublin has put emergency plans into place following widespread flooding yesterday.

According to the Irish Independent, there was chaos and destruction following torrential rain, which equated to a month's rainfall in just one day.

An off-duty policeman is feared dead in County Wicklow after a river broke its banks.

Motorists were stranded and businesses and homes were flooded.

The city's main shopping centre had to be evacuated as water rushed in.

Flights in and out of Dublin Airport were delayed, rail services were cancelled and two of the country's motorways were closed or impassable.

The heavy rain also hit rail services on the east coast of Ireland with the Belfast-to Dublin Enterprise service being cancelled.

Meteorologists have warned there is more heavy rain to come, although they said it wouldn't be as bad as yesterday.

The Irish weather service, Met Eireann, has issued a severe weather warning for large areas of Ulster and east Leinster.

Meanwhile, torrential rain has flooded parts of south-west England, northern Ireland and Wales.

Flood alerts have been issued for coastal and river areas in Cornwall, Devon, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Swansea.

With permission from Travemole

Live weather and travel updates from RTE:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1025/weather_updates_tuesday.html

News updates on the flooding situation in Northern Ireland:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-15441784