Shock moment car is washed down Irish road during Storm Babet floods as emergency workers help stranded families

SHOCK footage has emerged of extreme floods wreaking havoc across Ireland as a car was washed down a road in Co Cork today.

Onlookers were left helpless as the small red car was swept up in the water, which had consumed the entire streets of Midleton.

The footage shows the vehicle being carried at speed in the currents as members of the fire brigade, along with other emergency personnel, worked to get people out of the way.

People could be seen wading through the water, carrying children to safety in their arms and placing them on raised walls as the flood gushed by.

Volunteers and emergency services have been working tirelessly over the past 24 hours as they evacuate people from their cars and homes as water levels continue to rise. 

Shocking images have also emerged of flooding on the inside of Midleton Hospital, which has suffered significant damage.

More footage showed a local Supervalu store "absolutely destroyed" after water consumed the shop and groceries floated to the surface.

The town has also been badly affected by power outages, with the ESB confirming that almost 1,000 properties are without electricity.

Midleton quickly became impassable after Storm Babet made land with over 100 properties said to have been flooded. 

A Coordination Centre in Midleton Fire Station and a rest centre in Midleton Community Centre have been established, and the Army and Civil Defence are supporting evacuation measures.

Euan Whelton, 21, from the village of Glandore, in Co Cork, said he has not seen flooding "this bad" for ten years.

Mr Whelton, an agriculture worker, said the Skibbereen Fire Brigade pumped water from the area for "five or six hours" on Tuesday but said it remained underwater on Wednesday afternoon.

He said the harbour village was "closed down" in 2013 due to heavy flooding and told the PA news agency: "I would say in 10 years it hasn't been this bad."

He added: "There were a few houses down there that were flooded, there was probably a foot or two of water inside the houses.

"There was a riverbank burst, and it flooded on the houses down there. There was a high tide as well, so it was hard to get the water out.

"The fire brigade was there for probably five or six hours pumping it out, but it's still all underwater at the moment."

EXTREME FLOODS

Mr Whelton said at one of his cousins' houses, the water was "coming in the back door and going straight out the front door".

Meanwhile, Co Cork mayor Frank O'Flynn said one month's worth of rain had fallen in 24 hours.

He said: "This is on top of already saturated lands and high river levels.

"It is evidence, if any were needed, of our changing climate and the issues that it presents.

"I am especially conscious of the advanced preparations that were undertaken by Cork County Council in mitigating the effects of this event and how, despite every effort, homes, businesses and road users have been impacted.

"Areas where flood defence schemes have been completed fared far better than others in the face of this deluge."

'UNPRECEDENTED' CONDITIONS

He added that the conditions emergency services are facing have been "unprecedented".

Mr O'Flynn said: "I know from speaking with council staff that some of the issues they are dealing with are unprecedented, with roads which have never flooded now underwater.

"I am calling on the people of Cork to please avoid unnecessary travel, take extreme care if you must set off on a journey, and please think of vulnerable road users, especially pedestrians and cyclists.

"As a council, we will continue to work across the county, both in a preventative capacity while also dealing with issues as they arise.

"The results of this weather event will be long felt as we move toward a clean-up phase, but can I please reiterate the importance of staying safe and together, we will come through this weather event."