Over 160 homes flooded by Storm Babet as severe weather “becomes less exceptional and more routine”

Heavy rainfall from Storm Babet in October caused 0ver 160 properties across north Wales to flood.

The named storm, the first of the winter season, saw an amber weather warning issued by the Met Office.

Hours of torrential rain on October 20 led to flash flooding across Wrexham, causing the closure of several roads and businesses across the county borough.

In Rosset several homeowners were evacuated after houses were cut off by flooding.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has since launched a review into its severe weather response and thecircumstances surrounding the flooding in Trevalyn’ following firm criticism of flood defences. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

In a statement released yesterday Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change, confirmed that 163 properties across north Wales suffered internal flooding.

This includes 17 in Conwy, 103 in Flintshire, 20 in Wrexham and 23 in Powys.

One further property also experienced flooding caused by Storm Ciarán earlier this month

Julie James MS warned that a changing climate means that “events like Storms Babet and Ciarán are becoming less exceptional and more routine.”

She said: “I know how devastating the impacts of flooding can be – I would like to offer my condolences to the loved ones of the individuals who very sadly lost their lives across the UK during Storm Babet, and also my heart felt sympathies to those people whose properties were affected during both Storm Babet and Storm Ciarán.

“We know it is impossible to stop or prevent all flooding, but we can and are indeed taking steps to reduce the consequences and help to create more resilience across Wales.

“This year we have allocated over £75m in Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management in Wales, the highest ever annual spend on flood risk management in Wales to date.

“As part of this £75 million package, we are making £34 million capital funding available to our Risk Management Authorities (RMAs).

“It is for RMAs to put forward proposed schemes for capital funding and I encourage local authorities to continue engaging with this process.

“We know that investment does work – for example, NRW estimates that over 1000 properties did not flood in the storms because of the investment they have been able to put in place.

“However, flood risk management is not just about constructing robust defences.

“Last year, we almost doubled our revenue funding for local authorities to £225,000 each, and I am pleased that we are able to offer the same level of investment again this year.

“Meanwhile, NRW provides support and advice through engagement sessions to improve resilience in communities at risk.

“Advice and support about how to join a community flood group, along with a list of organisations who provide support for flood groups, such as the National Flood Forum and Local Resilience Forums, is available on NRW’s website. Community flood plans are owned and delivered by community members or groups and as of April 2023, there were 71 community flood plans across Wales.

“That’s 34 communities in South Wales, 14 in Mid Wales, and 23 in North Wales taking action to understand, prepare for and manage potential flood risks in their area.”