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Flood warnings an hour late, says council leader

Getty Images Flooding on Mill Street in Pontypridd. the water is up to the bottom of a shop window at the Nisa store. Three men are standing outside the shop wiht the water up to their knees. Getty Images
Mill Street in Pontypridd town centre was one of the worst-hit areas in Wales

People hit by flooding during Storm Bert could have been warned more than an hour before it was too late, a council leader has claimed.

Parts of south Wales saw devastating floods, and politicians and locals strongly criticised what they called a lack of preparation and insufficient warnings.

Rhondda Cynon Taf council leader Andrew Morgan said environment body Natural Resources Wales (NRW) had data on high river levels for more than an hour before residents were alerted.

NRW's head of South Wales Central operations David Letellier said the organisation's thoughts were with everyone affected, adding that it "took an active approach to communicating updates on the expected and actual impact".

He added: "In the lead up to any significant rainfall event, we work with our colleagues at the Met Office and the Flood Forecasting Centre, and use the modelling and forecasts available to us to ensure our teams are prepared and ready to respond. 

"Our rainfall and river gauge network are also constantly in operation. Given the uncertainty around the potential impacts of this event, we took steps from Wednesday last week to make sure our response team rotas were well staffed and prepared to tackle whatever the storm would bring.

"Our message to professional partners and the public from Wednesday last week ahead of Storm Bert was that significant flooding was possible across Wales and to be prepared."

Houses and businesses in Pontypridd bore the brunt of the lost storm, four years after the town was also hit by Storm Dennis.

Rhondda Cynon Taf council declared a major incident due to "significant flooding" at the weekend.

It said 200 properties were affected, with more than a month's worth of rain falling in a short period.

Morgan met NRW on Tuesday and said he "challenged" officials on flood warning timings on Sunday.

Map of south Wales showing aread hit by flooding and larger map of whole of Wales in top left corner showing location in south east and rest of Wales

"I presented their own evidence to them, from their own statistics at NRW, which showed for example that river levels at Gelli and Tynewydd in Rhondda, and Aberdare, at 06:30 matched Storm Dennis levels," he said.

"Yet, it took an hour and 11 minutes before a flood warning was issued to the people of Pontypridd.

"By then… the water was already a foot deep in the streets and the river was flooding."

Emma Peterson Berw Road in Pontypridd with the road underwater, and a car up to its wheel well. A person can also be seen standing almost up to their knees in water. Emma Peterson
The River Taff burst its banks, flooding areas such as Berw Road in Pontypridd

He said the current system and trigger mechanisms "are not fit for purpose".

"If the systems worked correctly, and these people did not get a warning until there's water in their houses, there is something wrong," he added.

"If we would have known, with an hour's notice, that there was a likelihood of flooding, we would have done our best to at least get sandbags there."

He previously said he was "amazed" that only a yellow weather warning was put in place by the Met Office.

The Met Office said it would conduct a full assessment but that the storm was "well forecast" in advance with a number of warnings issued.

A major clean-up operation has been underway in the town since the storm.

Pontypridd's grade II-listed lido in Ynysangharad War Memorial Park has been shut due to the damage, and will not open until the end of next week at the earliest.

But RCT council said it was hopeful that the annual 26 December swim at the lido will still be possible .

Getty Images An aerial view of sports courts in Ynysangharad Park which flooded after the River Taff breached its banks. the fields are covered in water Getty Images
Flood waters covered fields and the lido in Pontypridd's Ynysangharad War Memorial Park

A bridge in Abercynon, which was under construction after being replaced due to damage from Storm Dennis damage, was completely washed away.

"We are talking millions of pounds worth of damage," Morgan said. "Dozens and dozens of contractors have cleaned the streets. Skips are outside people's houses.

"Having this happen four weeks before Christmas is devastating."

The council will give cash to people affected by Storm Bert from emergency funds, he added, with grants of £1,000 for small to medium sized businesses and for residents.

That is on top of the Welsh government's offer of £1,000 for uninsured households, and £500 for the insured.

It confirmed that 433 properties across Wales were hit by flooding at the weekend.

Wales' First Minister Eluned Morgan has also said the nation needs better flood warnings.