‘Anger’ and call for inquiry as Rhondda residents flooded once more

The Member of the Senedd for the Rhondda has called for urgent action to help people flooded in her constituency for the second time this year.

Leanne Wood has also called for an urgent inquiry into why homes flooded so quickly after a period of record-breaking sunshine.

Many locals in affected communities such as Pentre say the drains were clogged up with silt that had not been cleared since the last floods earlier this year.

Almost 200 properties in Pentre, Maerdy and Treherbert are reported to have flooded yesterday following a yellow weather warning for rain which covered much of Wales.

Further heavy rain is expected today across most of Wales. It comes just four months after the area was hit by flooding during Storm Dennis.

‘Inquiry’

Leanne Wood MS said that people were “angry” and “frustrated” after being flooded twice this year.

“For some households, they have been flooded more than that. I share that anger and frustration – it is not acceptable,” he said.

“What is needed is urgent assistance from the various authorities to prevent further flooding. Sandbags – which were not forthcoming from the council initially – need to be delivered to every home that is at risk of further flooding throughout this spell of heavy rain.

“It should not be down to builders’ yards to provide the sand needed to make a flood defence – but that is what happened in the vital first 12 hours of this flooding. The drains also need cleaning urgently as this has been identified as a cause of flooding in many areas.

“Secondly, we need an inquiry into why these areas are suddenly so vulnerable to flooding. This work should have happened already; even with restrictions around the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It is disappointing that this work is yet to be completed but the events of the last 24 hours shows it cannot be delayed further if we are to prevent any further flooding of Rhondda communities because there is clearly a major issue here.”

County Borough Councillor Andrew Morgan, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, said the council had deployed additional resources, to support the local authority’s highways crews and to assist the emergency services.

“The flash flooding caused by yesterday evening’s severe thunderstorms, has unfortunately impacted upon communities which have already experienced the devastation of flooding earlier this year,” he said.

MP Chris Bryant said he was heading back from Westminster to assess the damage.