Eighteen thousand homes in Cork city will be without a supply of drinking water until at least next weekend after a treatment plant was overpowered and damaged by yesterday's flooding.

People living in affected areas on the northside are being told to get water supplies at a series of emergency tankers dotted across the city.

Cork city manager Joe Gavin described what happened to the Lee Road treatment plant as "unprecedented".

The army has been drafted in to help provide drinking water at a number of locations across Cork's northside, which is the worst affected.

Schools without water have been told to close, while the City Council has appealed to people's "community spirit" in areas with water to assist households in difficulty.

Water tankers to provide an emergency supply are located in:

Ballyvolane Shopping Centre

Blackpool Shopping Centre

Hollyhill Shopping Centre

St Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital, Gurranabraher

Nemo Rangers GAA, South Douglas Road

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21/11/2009: Cowen chairing flood response meeting
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21/11/2009: IFA calls for national action plan after floods
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21/11/2009: Taoiseach chairs emergency task force meeting after floods
21/11/2009: Chambers call for postponement of day of action
21/11/2009: Clean-up operation continues after floods
20/11/2009: Businesses hit out at ESB over opening of dam
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20/11/2009: Union calls off day of action at Mercy Hospital
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20/11/2009: NRA to open part of M6 by this evening
20/11/2009: University lectures suspended as floods hit UCC
20/11/2009: Cork city water supply turned off due to contamination fears
20/11/2009: Galway family airlifted to safety
20/11/2009: Torrential floods hit UK
20/11/2009: Thousands hit by floods, routes closed in Cork
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