LONDON–Authorities rescued people trapped on the roofs of their cars and stranded in their homes after parts of Northern Ireland received more rainfall in one day than they usually experience in three weeks, officials said yesterday.
Group Commander Jim Guy said the flash floods were the worst Northern Ireland's Fire and Rescue service had ever experienced. The service received more than 1,000 emergency calls from people affected by the rains, he said.
Heavy rains drenched most of Northern Ireland over the weekend.
Dozens of people had to be rescued from their homes by lifeboats as water levels rose.
Traffic in Belfast stopped moving after a major new road that was meant to link several highways flooded with more than 118 million litres of water. Roads to the city's airport also were blocked.
Bad weather forced the cancellation Saturday of the Ulster Grand Prix, one of Britain's biggest motorcycle races.
