FLOODED SIX TIMES IN JUST MONTHS
AWELSH couple have described the devastation after their home was flooded for the sixth time since September.
A number of homes across Swansea were yet again flooded because of heavy rain this week.
Streets in Gorseinon, West Cross and Fforestfach reported flooding in their homes on Wednesday evening.
This comes a month after homes in Gorseinon were ruined because of heavy rainfall – and four months after flooding caused by Storm Dennis wrecked homes in Swansea and across Wales.
Kerry and Jill John, who live on West Street in Gorseinon, said the flooding has cost them thousands of pounds and they are unable to claim any money on insurance.
“We have been flooded six times since September, it’s horrendous. I said after the fifth time it happened that I’ll crack up. Over that time we’ve more or less lost everything,” said 62-year-old Mrs John.
“We borrowed a fridge freezer and a washer and now we can’t give it back because it is damaged and will have to pay.
“Our wooden summer house in the garden is also ruined.
“All our boots and shoes are ruined. We moved in about 20 years ago and didn’t know about the flooding. Over the years we had some flooding, but nothing serious until September. Storm Dennis hit us the hardest, and we were recovering from that. The drains seem to have packed up.
“We’ve been told we can’t have insurance because of where we live and my husband is self-employed and off work because of the pandemic. We have no money coming in whatsoever, it’s devastating.”
Mrs John said she felt “scared” when she could hear rain at about 8pm on Wednesday evening. At about 11pm, she said water gushed through the side door of her property.
“At night my husband opened the door, and water rushed in like a river. We had worse with Storm Dennis, but this was not much better. We were paddling through it and just tried to get it out quickly,” she described.
“The water is black and we are having to disinfect everything. We’re also trying to put some flood defences by our doors and on our drive, it’s like living in the dark ages.”
Mr John, 51, is a self-employed ground worker and said he can’t see an end to the flooding unless a long-term solution is put in place.
“The water is coming over the pavement and down our drive before it gets in the drains, and it takes weeks to clear it up. A simple solution could fix it,” he said.
“This time it was knee-deep coming down our drive and inches deep in our house. Damage in total costs about £10,000 a time. It damages our house, our garden and patio, and tools I need for work. I have to spend money to replace the tools in case work starts back again.
“I don’t know what the council are doing. It is going to happen again and again every time there is heavy rain.”
The couple added that they can’t afford to move, and that isn’t an option for them with the pandemic ongoing.
A spokesman from Swansea council said: “A small number of calls were received with reports of localised flooding in Gorseinon, West Cross and Fforestfach. We would urge any residents that have experienced flooding due to severe weather recently to report it so we can investigate possible causes and help resolve them.
“Ahead of the latest severe weather warning, our highways teams ensured there were no problems with water courses and have also completed minor works to unblock gullies.
“We are also continuing assessments of our drainage system so we can plan future improvements which should assist in managing the impact of heavy prolonged rainfall.”
A Welsh Water spokesman said: “We are aware of the flooding experienced by some residents in Swansea following recent heavy rain, particularly on West Street in Gorseinon. We are working with the local authority at the site to investigate the cause.”