The Aberystwyth Floods

Aberystwyth has been getting back to normal after yesterday’s floods which were the worst in memory.

The flooding around the town reached a peak around high tide at 12.10 and was concentrated around the Parc y Llyn and Llanbadarn areas. Photos can be seen here. Whilst it is fairly common for Blaendolau playing fields, next to the river Rheidol, to flood, no-one could remember water submerging the main road from Penparcau to Llanbadarn.

As news spread, and with traffic around the town at a standstill, scores of local people walked and cycled up to Parc y Llyn to have a look at the surreal scene. Morrisons and other shops on the retail estate were forced to close, but the hardest hit non-residential property seemed to be Ystwyth Surgery which looked to have sustained considerable flood damage. Arrangements are being made for surgeries to be held elsewhere next week.

Whilst it was a sightseeing opportunity for many people, for residents of the Parc yr Onnen estate in Llanbadarn the situation was much grimmer, with the ground floors of an estimated 30 houses flooded and some residents having to find accommodation elsewhere. Residents in other nearby housing estates anxiously watched the rising water. Aberystwyth Holiday Village was also badly hit, with touring caravans and campers having to abandon their vehicles.

Various agencies worked together throughout the day to pump water out of  affected homes and to protect those at risk. The agencies included Ceredigion Council, the Fire Service, the Police, Dwr Cymru, the Environment Agency and the RNLI.

Meanwhile, further north, there had already been serious flooding around Llandre, Talybont and Penrhyncoch where quick action by the emergency services, already well reported by the BBC, had undoubtedly saved lives. Pictures of the floods at Talybont can be seen here (thanks to Tanwen Haf).

One reason being cited for the severity of the flooding at Parc y Llyn at least is the development that has taken place in recent years on the Rheidol flood plain which has left flood water with nowhere to drain away. However that doesn't explain the serious flooding in other areas.

Ceredigion Council has appealed to the Westminster government for financial assistance to re-build roads damaged in the floods, particularly those to the north of Aberystwyth.

The Council will be waiving their usual collection charges for bulky goods and will be collecting ruined carpets and furniture for nothing.

A Facebook page for flood victims is here, with lots of people offering help.
Council advice for flood victims can be found here.
Ceredigion Council's contact number for information and the reporting of problems is 01545 - 572572. 
Information about road closures can be found here.

Weather forecasters were saying that, although some further rain was predicted, with tides set to reduce, they did not anticipate further problems once the water had receded.