Probe into storm flooding
A VALLEYS council is launching an investigation into severe flooding which hit the area over the weekend.
Rhondda Cynon Taf council cabinet has agreed to release £100,000 from its general reserves to help cover the costs of severe flood damage caused by heavy rains from Storm Callum when it hit Wales at the end of last week.
It cost the council around £100,000 from its existing budget to deal with with the flooding over the weekend and the reserves have been released to rebalance this budget.
Councillor Andrew Morgan, leader of the council, said there were only two areas affected by river flooding including Mountain Ash but that most of the flooding came from mountain culverts and combined sewer systems.
He said: “There was too much water going into the sewerage system. The pumps couldn’t cope.
“Between 40 and 45 properties have flooded and between 15-20 businesses.
“The main reason for the variation in flooding was the level of rainfall.”
He highlighted that in one stream in Cilfynydd there was 60mm of rainfall and in the Coed Ely area there was 51mm recorded compared to the river in Hirwaun where the level exceeded the previous record of 1.09 metres, with 1.21 metres being recorded.
He added: “Where there are flood alleviation schemes every one one of them has worked.
“We have previously had flooding down the valley but there was a deluge at the top of the Valley.
“We are doing some investigations to understand where the water is coming from and why. Some won’t be quick wins.”
He mentioned that there is due to be a statement from Welsh Government on the matter with RCT, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Powys and Merthyr Tydfil the main areas particularly badly affected.
“I hope there will be some sort of support. £200,000 to us is quite a considerable amount. Some culverts were not built to take this much water.”
He also thanked council staff who dealt with the flooding for their hard work over the weekend.