Donegal Flooding, Raphoe and Castlefin

28 July 2023

On Saturday evening 22nd July, Donegal Civil Defence AFS and Swift Water units were activated by  Donegal County Council to assist the Donegal Fire Service due to flooding in the Finn Valley area, affecting the towns of Raphoe and Castlefin in East Donegal.

Civil Defence deployed the following resources to Raphoe Town, reporting into the Fire Service Incident Command Officer on arrival;

• 7 Person -Stranorlar / Donegal Town AFS crew
• 3 Person Swift Water team
• 3 4WD Vehicles with Trailers
• 1 Incident Command Vehicle
• CDO and ACDO were also on site
• 400 Sandbags

In Raphoe Town, Civil Defence assisted the Donegal Fire Service and the Local Authority Roads Section with the deployment of sandbags to the business premises of The Diamond and William Streets. On the Guest House End / Magherahane Road section of the town, two Civil Defence personnel were deployed to knock on residents doors to check on their welfare and deploy sandbags where necessary.

After midnight Civil Defence was requested by the Incident Commander to go to Carrick, Castlefin to assist an elderly resident whose home was flooded.  On arrival, the crew reported to the Donegal Fire Service, on-site Incident Command Officer and they assisted with sandbagging of the premises and fending off the water from the house.

Civil Defence was stood down at 2.15 am on Sunday 23^rd July.

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