BY CJ MCGINLEY

A high powered government and county council delegation led by Tánaiste Mary Coughlan will visit the Gweedore area today (Friday) to assess the extent of the damage caused by one of the worst freak floods the area has seen in almost130 years.

The Tánaiste will be joined by the Minister for Rural, Gaeltacht and Community Affairs, Mr Eamon O'Cuiv, local MEP, Pat the Cope Gallagher, Deputy Dinny McGinley, County Manager, Mr Michael McLoone, local councillors and top engineers and road staff from Donegal County Council.

Speaking to the Donegal News yesterday (Thursday), Mr McLoone said the cost of the public and private damage would run into millions. However, he stressed their priority was to identify and cost the repair and restoration works needed on public roads and bridges as a matter of immediate public safety.

"I will have that report for the delegation today. They will bring it to government because the funding will have to come from an emergency-contingency fund and not from our existing roadworks programme," Mr McLoone.

"This is a catastrophe and I was shocked and struck by the devastation the flood water caused in the area when I visited on Wednesday evening," he said.

One hundred and thirty years after a similar freak flood killed five young boys in Derrybeg a major clean up operation was continuing around Gweedore yesterday (Thursday).

More than 20 houses, a dozen business premises, bridges and roads have been destroyed. A local businesswoman and her two year old daughter had to be rescued from her flower shop after over 10 ft of water engulfed the building.

Families living in up to 20 homes in the Stranacorka and Sheskinbeg areas remained marooned in their houses as three bridges were collapsed by whaty they described as a 'tidal wave' on Tuesday.

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