The water came downthe mountain like a river

Mr Givan said he was inundated with calls from people who were frustrated that they were unable to get in touch with the authorities.

When the heavy rain fell it lifted parts of the tarmac around Pond Park Road and a number of other roads including Orange Hall Lane off Ballymacash were also affected. He said that from the moment the rain started to fall he was contacted by someone from Maghaberry whose garden had been swamped.

From then until the early hours of Thursday morning he received many calls from residents at Ballymacash and Pond Park and residents at Parkland Avenue and Orange Hall Lane off Ballymacash.

It was reported that water was running down Pond Park from White Mountain Road like a river. Gullies were blocked which caused flooding and debris ending up on the roads.

Mr Givan, who was brought up in the Pond Park area, said he got calls from residents the Boomer Reservoir had burst its banks.

“Many people in Pond Park and Ballymacash were very badly hit,” he said.

“In 30 years I have never known Boomer Reservoir to burst its banks but it did on Wednesday. I have never seen it so bad.

“I had calls from people who were genuinely scared and panicking. Some complained that they received no help. I co-ordinated with the various authorities and agencies to offer what support and help I could.

“I realise that what had happened was unprecedented but more should have been done.

“Lessons need to be learned from this. The council did bring in extra staff to help with the Rivers Agency who worked through the night.

“But I was getting calls from many desperate residents in Orange Hall Lane, who needed sand bags and Parkland Avenue.

“Many people were panicking as the rain was coming down from White Mountain like a river. People were close to desperation. I realise the rain came down quickly but how quickly did the authorities respond to this and how were staff were brought in is the question? The response was obviously not quick enough.”

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said staff at NIFRS Regional Control Centre received hundreds of calls for assistance to flooding incidents, many from Lisburn and south Belfast.

For a period of three hours from 7pm calls were being answered at a rate of almost one every 20 seconds.

A Tesco spokesperson said they were forced to close at 7.30pm on Wednesday night due to the flooding but the store re-opened again as normal on Thursday morning for trading.Police said that on Thursday morning the Stewartstown Road was still closed due to flooding and manhole covers had lifted on the Summerhill Road in Dunmurry. Mullaghcarton Road in Lisburn was also closed due to a burst bank and debris on the road.

On Thursday morning some roads in Finaghy were impassible due to abandoned cars.