Flood risks remain high in wake of Storm Dennis

● Communities across the country count cost of weekend storm

Torrential rain from Storm Dennis has swelled rivers to exceptional levels in parts of Britain, with more forecast to fall later this week, the Environment Agency warned.

Communities across the country are counting the cost of the weekend’s storm which has left more than 400 properties flooded.

Among the worst affected areas were South

Wales, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire where major incidents were declared.

The Environment Agency warned the flood risk continues, with further heavy rain forecast in the north of England for tomorrow and Thursday, possibly falling on already flooded areas.

The aftermath of the storm caused transport disruption yesterday, as train lines and roads were blocked by flooding and fallen trees.The AA said nationally it had attended more than 400 vehicles stuck in water or mud over theweekend,morethan double the number during Storm Ciara a week ago.

Locals in the inundated area around Hereford described “devastating” flood scenes that struck roads, a business park, the railway line and homes.

In South Wales, one of the worst-hit areas was the village of Nantgarw, near

Cardiff, where entire streets were left underwater from the early hours of Sunday morning.

Visiting the flooded village of Trehafod near Pontypridd, Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price criticised the Welsh Government’s level of investment in flood defences, saying the weekend’s events were a “wake-up call”.

Natural Resources Wales said provisional data indicated the River Taff at Pontypridd had reached its highest level for more than 40 years.

Youth climate strikers said they had to cancel their first ever national conference, with delegates coming from across the UK, due to serious flooding in Staffordshire.

The prime minister resisted calls to chair a meeting of the government’s emergency committee, Cobra, to tackle the flooding crisis, despite criticism from the Labour Party.

Luke Pollard, shadow environment secretary, said it was a “disgrace” that Boris Johnson had “refused” to visit affected communities.

Environment Secretary George Eustice defended the government’s response, pointing to £4 billion of funding committed to flood defences in the next five years.

The Met Office last night issued two yellow weather warnings for snow and ice over parts of Scotland.

LANDFALL: Drone image of the MV Alta, a cargo ship adrift since 2018 which was washed up on the Co Cork coastline in the Republic of Ireland over the weekend