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19th Jun 2023

Shocking footage shows shop roof collapse from heavy rainfall in Tralee

Simon Kelly

Tralee flooding

The building had to be evacuated due to flooding.

The roof of a Dunnes Stores in Tralee collapsed after torrential rain battered the county over the weekend.

Flooding caused serious damage to businesses around Tralee, getting to a point where some buildings had to be evacuated.

The shocking footage was uploaded by the Twitter page Carlow Weather, who said: “Dunnes Stores in Tralee was evacuated after flash flooding hit. Reports of intense rainfall and local flooding coming in from many areas now as thunderstorms hit.”

More footage throughout the town over the weekend shows people wading through the streets as water reached ankle height in some areas.

University Hospital Kerry also had to close parts of the building on Saturday because of flood damage, with officials asking people to only attend the hospital in an emergency.

They said in a statement: “UHK has been impacted by the heavy rain fall in the Tralee area this afternoon Saturday 17th June, 2023.

“Management at the hospital have had to close a number of areas in the hospital and are appealing to the public to only present at the Emergency Department, if it is an emergency situation.”

Elsewhere, two lifeguards were hospitalised after lightning struck a beach in near Tralee. The incident occurred on Banna Beach shortly before 4pm on Saturday as a Status Yellow thunderstorm warning from Met Éireann was in effect for the county.

Thunderstorm warning in place for Monday

The bad weather doesn’t seem to be letting up as the thunderstorms continue to threaten due to the warm weather.

There is currently a Status Yellow warning in place for today (Monday, June 19) for Cavan, Monaghan, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Galway and Roscommon.

The alert brings warnings of possible spot flooding, poor visibility and difficult travelling conditions.

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Tralee