Flood victims seek emergency relief

More than 300 people whose homes were flooded after torrential rain hit Northern Ireland have applied for a special emergency payment of £1,000.

The funding was made available after weekend downpours flooded homes, swamped major roads and saw swollen rivers damage three bridges.

The one-off payment is available to home owners across Northern Ireland, but it has been confirmed that in Belfast alone, 336 people have applied for the aid package.

Meanwhile, the government is under pressure to provide specific aid for farmers whose land was flooded.

Belfast City Council said it had approved 156 emergency payments as a result of the flooding in the city over the weekend.

The council said it had received 336 requests so far for grant applications, which were being assessed.

Farmers whose homes were flooded can apply for the same £1,000 package through their local council, but Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew is facing calls for special compensation for the loss of livestock and crops.

In response to calls for extra support, the Department of Agriculture said: "The minister has indicated that she has asked for an assessment of the difficulties facing farmers and she will consider the way forward in light of that assessment."

There was widespread criticism of the official response to the flooding, but Ms Gildernew praised the efforts of government agencies to cope with the crisis.

Northern Ireland experienced nearly a month's rainfall in a matter of hours on Saturday.

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