Eamonn Strain from Burnfoot near Inishowen told the Irish Farmers Journal he “got lucky”, when he discovered that 190 of his sheep were trapped on a narrow piece of high land surrounded by the flood water.

“A neighbour called me on Tuesday evening and told me the sheep were trapped in the field. I called down at 10pm and I seen all of the sheep in a tight piece of high land, surrounded by the floodwater,” he explained.

“At that stage I thought they were gone. It is not a good feeling. You wouldn’t sleep that night,” he continued.

Luckily for Strain, the 22-acre field had a 100ft area of high ground, enough to facilitate the 190 Suffolk ewes.

“I went down at 6.15am the next morning, with my brother, when the tide had gone out. There was still water left, but we managed to walk the sheep out through whatever water was there. It was a massive relief,” he said.

Disruption

The floods in the area have cause major disruption to farmers and the general public alike. Roads and bridges have been damaged and farmland has been severely affected.

One farmer in Muff had a lucky escape when the tractor he were driving got caught up in a bridge collapse on the road from Muff to Iskaheen.

Torrential rain

Torrential rain in Donegal and Derry left the region counting the costs of Tuesday night’s floods.

Tuesday saw accumulations of 60-80mm, with Malin Head in Co Donegal experiencing over 70mm of rain, according to Met Éireann.

The rain started to increase in volume from two o’clock on Tuesday, steadily increasing as the evening and night went on.

Flash flooding ensued in parts of Donegal and Derry, with thunderstorms also causing power cuts in some areas.

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