Stormont Executive to discuss potential support following Co Down floods

The Stormont Executive is to discuss potential support for those impacted by flooding in Co Down, the First Minister has said.

Clean-up work continued in Newcastle on Monday following the floods during which Tullybrannigan Road was transformed into a “river” after heavy rain on the Mourne Mountains on Sunday.

Much of Northern Ireland was under a yellow rain warning from midnight to 3pm on Sunday.

The Department for Infrastructure said more than 900 sandbags were used and their teams cleared the roads of debris, which included large stones.

They said their staff had been “on standby all weekend following the Met Office weather warning issued”.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill paid tribute to first responders and those working on the ground.

“There were devastating scenes in Newcastle, and unfortunately these weather events seem to be happening a lot more often,” she said at Parliament Buildings in Belfast on Monday.

“I want to commend all of those responders that were on the ground over the weekend working with communities providing sandbags and that practical support.

“We’ll discuss as an Executive how we can best support all those people that have been impacted, but for now all the effort and energy in in the immediate response.”