Swimmers are advised that a ‘Do Not Swim’ notice is in place for Velvet Strand beach in Portmarnock.
Advising the public to avoid the water for a few days, officials at Fingal County Council tweeted to say that a temporary swimming ban has been issued for Velvet Strand in Portmarnock. In place for four days, the notice was issued due to stormwater overflow as a result of heavy rainfall.
Concerned that water quality has been compromised by recent weather, authorities have said that a sample will be taken tomorrow and results will be available on Saturday, September 5th when the notice will be reviewed.
Velvet Strand remains open to the public but beach users are asked to respect the ‘Do Not Swim’ notice and avoid getting into the water while the swimming ban is in place. People can check the water quality at any of the monitored bathing waters in Ireland by checking the EPA website or looking at the notice board at the entrance to each beach.
👥A temporary Prohibition Do Not Swim notice has been issued for Velvet Strand, Portmarnock for a duration of 4 days due to stormwater overflow. #CommunityAlert https://t.co/4Uh02WeYKX
— Fingal County Council (@Fingalcoco) September 2, 2020
Other counties along the west coast of Ireland have also been experiencing heavy rainfall, with Clifden in Co. Galway seeing the brunt of it. Locals in the area awoke to severe flooding this morning, with emergency services even having to evacuate people from their houses in the Clifden Glen estate. Several roads are impassable in the vicinity and many have said that this is the worst flooding they have seen to date.
Met Éireann issued a Status Yellow Rainfall Warning earlier today. Covering all of Connacht as well as Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal, the warning is in place until 9pm tonight. Heavy rain is predicted to continue for most of today with conditions in Clifden still expected to worsen as the day continues.
Header image via Shutterstock/Portmarnock Beach, Dublin
