RESIDENTS EVACUATED AS RIVER LEVEL RISES
RESIDENTS in a village where homes were ordered to be evacuated over river level fears have seen the area’s worst flooding in 20 years. Those living in Aberdulais, a Neath Port Talbot village, were ordered to evacuate their homes on Friday night due to rising river levels.
Natural Resources Wales said Canal Side and nearby commercial properties in Aberdulais were subject to a flood warning, with the warning including the Royal British Legion club, Railway Tavern and Calor Gas depot – with warnings yesterday that river levels would remain high. Some residents evacuated their homes, while others have seen water flood their houses.
Pictures show river levels incredibly high and close to bridges above, gardens and streets filled with water, and homes with water damage inside.
Aberdulais Councillor Doreen Jones said around 30 people were at the Royal British Legion yesterday after being evacuated from their homes in Aberdulais on Friday night.
She said: “My phone hasn’t stopped ringing overnight, the under path is flooded and the golf range is also flooded, around seven to eight homes currently have water in them but it’s started to rain again now.
“It’s been 20 years since the last floods here; everyone is managing well and getting on with it, the emergency services are around to help.”
Paul Edwards, a resident in Canal Side, said: “From 3.30am this morning water started coming into the house. It has come from underneath the railway track, I must have emptied around 100 bowls of water outside.
“I can’t stop it from coming in the house, the back garden is flooded there’s about a foot deep of water. There’s nothing we can really do about it.”
Stephen Hall, a resident in the nearby village of Tonna, said: “Neath town centre is OK but the river is extremely high in Aberdulais.
“The road to get in to Tonna from Aberdulais is blocked, the river is over the road so you can’t get through that way.
“Residents in Canal Side have got water on their ground floors and are referring to themselves as living on an island.
“It’s probably the first time in 20 years that the flood defences have failed. Last night’s river level just overwhelmed it.
“Canal Side used to flood every winter but in recent years effort has been put in to improve the flood defences down there.
“It’s been 20 years since it was this bad. Now hopefully the levels will begin to drop.
“The last time it happened the Canal Side residents were decamped to the Legion, as it’s a bit higher up there.”
It came as one Welsh town was described as an island yesterday after residents awoke to find streets flooded and the River Usk flowing hazardously high.
Roads in Crickhowell were cordoned off by emergency services as many were completely flooded. Today’s front page picture is of a car half submerged in water in the town.
Police warned people to stay away from the area for their own safety.
Natural Resources Wales said its emergency response teams had been working through the night to deploy pumps, close flood gates in places like Abergwili and supporting emergency services. They have deployed sandbags in the village of Aberdulais in attempts to divert water and protect homes from flooding.
Sioned Warrell, NRW’s duty tactical manager, said: “We have seen a significant amount of rain over the last 24 hours and this will continue today. We have already seen this impact on the roads and we could see more flooding as the rain flows down from the mountains.
“Making sure you know what the situation is like where you live is really important. You can check our website or call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 for any Flood Warnings that may be in place and keep an eye on weather reports and local news for details of any disruption in your area.
“Our teams are doing all they can to reduce the risk for communities, but if there is flooding we want to make sure people are doing all they can to keep themselves safe.”
Meanwhile, the storm even saw water levels in Cardiff Bay rise enough to submerge walkways near the Pierhead building.
The water levels rose above five metres yesterday morning and