Lectures at University College Cork will be postponed from Monday for a week.

The cancellations are due to flood damage in a number of key buildings after water levels rose across the city overnight.

The western edges of the city, including the land around UCC, were worst hit, with some roads impassable.

UCC lectures will resume as normal on Monday, November 30.

Communities in the south and west have been worst affected by the floods, the worst seen in some areas in 40 years.

Property has been damaged, commuter rail services delayed and the army deployed to rescue people trapped in their homes.

The drinking water supply to thousands of homes in Cork city has been shut off, amid fears that it may have been contaminated.

Parts of Galway and Clare are still suffering the effects of major flooding, while some streets in Athlone are under water.

One of the more dramatic rescues overnight was in Gort in Galway when Hugh O'Donnell and his family, including his 87 year old mother, had to be airlifted from their home.

Motorists in Galway have been advised not to use the main Dublin road which is flooded at Craughwell.

Ballinasloe is also experiencing flooding after the river Suck burst its banks and around 40 families have been forced to leave their homes.

The N6 Galway/Dublin Rd is closed at Ballinasloe and Galway West TD Frank Fahey has asked that the NRA open one carriageway of the new M6 Galway /Dublin road to allow traffic to move again.

Meanwhile, 120 guests have had to be evacuated from the Lake Hotel in Killarney.

Management were alerted last night when the car park began to flood after the nearby lake began to rise.

Guests have been re-located to other hotels in the area and staff and locals are assisting in the clean-up operation.

Across the country, the defence forces say they are responding to requests for assistance from the HSE and local authorities before direct contacts from flooded homeowners.

More than 100 soldiers, 15 trucks and four flat-bottomed boats are now in use in Cork City and county, Ennis, Clonmel and Ballinasloe.

More troops are on standby for the weekend if required, but Air Corps helicopters will only be used if the weather allows.

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01/02/2010: Last January the coldest since 1963
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28/01/2010: Flooding bill could top €500m
21/01/2010: More water disruption in Clare
21/01/2010: Many still without water in Dublin
19/01/2010: MEP: Govt to apply for EU flooding aid
19/01/2010: Wicklow among areas still affected by water outages
19/01/2010: Cost of road repairs 'could exceed €150m'
17/01/2010: Black ice a problem for motorists
17/01/2010: Rain still causing disruption in south-east
16/01/2010: Motorists advised of flooding risk
16/01/2010: Restrictions on water supply continue
16/01/2010: Cold snap sees drop in burglaries
15/01/2010: Water contamination tests come back negative
15/01/2010: 85% of workers faced longer commute due to icy weather
15/01/2010: Water supplies to stabilise this weekend
14/01/2010: Snowbound mother nursed sick child for three weeks
14/01/2010: Most bus services running as normal
14/01/2010: Drivers warned of dangerous conditions
13/01/2010: Water shortage sees workers at Batchelors put on protective notice
13/01/2010: Some improvement in water supplies
13/01/2010: Limited disruption to bus services
13/01/2010: Hundreds of passengers grounded at Knock
13/01/2010: Gormley appeals to public to conserve water
13/01/2010: 1,000 homes without power as winds bring down lines
13/01/2010: Water rationing continues in several counties
12/01/2010: Water shortage 'still critical'
12/01/2010: Weather havoc continues
12/01/2010: FF TD criticises 'lack of leadership' in cold crisis
12/01/2010: Some Kilkenny schools advised to stay shut
12/01/2010: 4,500 homes without water in Cork city
12/01/2010: Cork hit by further flooding
12/01/2010: Flooding disrupts bus services in Cork
12/01/2010: Cold snap puts water supplies under pressure
12/01/2010: Skibbereen at risk of flooding
12/01/2010: Water outages hit several counties
11/01/2010: More weather misery on the way
11/01/2010: Opposition hits out at schools shutdown u-turn
11/01/2010: Europe begins the big thaw
11/01/2010: Cork airport reopens
11/01/2010: Cowen again defends Govt handling of cold crisis
11/01/2010: Worst of cold snap over, but flood warning for south
11/01/2010: Gormley appeals to public to conserve water
11/01/2010: O'Keeffe to allow schools to reopen tomorrow
11/01/2010: UK travel services struggling with bad weather
11/01/2010: Clare bus services disrupted by weather
11/01/2010: Govt 'must review decision to shut schools'
11/01/2010: Cork Airport remains closed after cold snap
11/01/2010: Weather hits bus services in the south-west
11/01/2010: Bus services disrupted in Cork and Kerry
11/01/2010: Europe battered by Arctic weather
11/01/2010: Port of Cork to receive 3,500 tonnes of salt
11/01/2010: Schools closed due to bad weather
11/01/2010: Reservoirs at low levels as sleet forecast today
10/01/2010: Gormley: Demand for water and electric at record levels
10/01/2010: Difficulties spread for bus services
10/01/2010: Focus on my holiday 'unfair', says Transport Minister
10/01/2010: Southeast hit by bus service disruption
10/01/2010: Met Éireann predicts improvement in weather
10/01/2010: TDs demand answers over response to weather conditions
10/01/2010: ISPCA: Animals at risk from cold snap
10/01/2010: More delays to bus services
10/01/2010: Weather could be costing economy €2bn
10/01/2010: Motorists advised to drive with extreme caution
10/01/2010: Transport Minister arrives back from sun holiday
10/01/2010: Country set for heavy snowfall today
10/01/2010: Most bus services operational

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• UCC flood updates