FLOODY HELL; Townland submerged after four-hour downpour ..while the rest of country basks in 24C heatwave.

Byline: MICHELLE O'KEEFFE

THE sun was splitting the trees on one of our hottest-ever days - but not in a tiny townland in Donegal.

In a freak of nature, a snap storm caused a wave of destruction, flooding homes and shops.

Two rivers burst their banks in Gweedore after four hours of rain on Tuesday while almost everybody else on both sides of the border - some just a few miles away - basked in sweltering sunshine. S

Coastguards rescued families in boats and hundreds more were evacuated from their homes.

Eibhlin Doherty and her two-year-old daughter Jean had to be rescued from a first-floor window of her florist and taken to safety in a boat.

Back on safe ground, Eibhlin said: "The water just started coming in the door as fast as anything."

The owner of Clady Knit Sarah Gallagher was left devastated after water gushed through her shop and factory destroying both premises.

She said: "This place has been totally devastated. A subsidiary river burst its banks and really fast-flowing water just ripped through the shop and the factory.

"The force of the water was so strong it nearly washed the cars in the car park away.

"Our retail unit has been very badly damaged. The manufacturing plant has also been very severely effected."

Two landslides swept through the area sweeping away bridges and closing roads, resulting in motorists being forced to abandon their cars. Council officials yesterday inspected bridges that are now unsafe and warned people to stay away from them. Gardai urged motorists to stay at home and only drive if absolutely necessary.

Two people had to be rescued by the coastguard after their house - which is in a hollow - was flooded by water of up to two meters.

They also desperately tried to pump the water away while council diggers were sent to the village to battle the water levels with sandbags.

Gweedore library in the historic church was badly flooded causing thousands of euro of damage to the building, the equipment and the books.

And elderly residents in Ionad Lae retirement home in Derrybeg had to be moved to another part of the facility as it was submerged in water.

Local Fine Gael TD Dinny McGinley yesterday called on the Irish Government to provide emergency funding to help residents who have seen their homes, businesses and cars destroyed in the freak flooding.

He said: "There will be substantial funding needed to repair the extensive damage caused by the flash flooding. I am going to raise a question in the Dail about funding."

Donegal Fire Service chief Sean Campbell described the weather as "freakish".

CAPTION(S):

SUNSHINE Good weather has sun seekers out at City Hall PAPER TRAIL Brendan O Baoill surveys the wrecked library SAVED BY THE BOAT Coastguard crew rescue mum Eibhlin and daughter Jean, pictured right, from the first floor of their florist shop