Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has stated that flood defenses in a village in north Wales were not fully activated before residences found themselves in ankle-deep water.
On Sunday morning, the fire service and a farmer’s tractor were mobilized to rescue individuals from their homes in Trevalyn, near Wrexham.
Residents asserted that a slatted barrier and pump, typically deployed before water levels surge, were not put into action. NRW announced that an investigation is underway to determine why these defenses were not utilized to their full extent.
Operations manager Iwan Williams noted that his team had dedicated their entire weekend to minimising the impact of the severe weather, saying: “We’re currently looking into how and why our assets were not utilised fully to reduce the effects of the extreme weather.”
The nearby River Alyn has seen record water levels since Storm Babet first hit early on Friday.
The North Wales Fire and Rescue Service reported that one house on Almere Ferry Road experienced floodwaters up to waist-deep, with several others finding themselves in water up to ankle-deep. NRW had previously cautioned that it might take some time for floodwaters from upper catchment areas to reach the flood plains.
In Wales, a single flood warning still remains in effect, encompassing the River Dee at Almere, Erbistock, Plas Devon, and Trevalyn Meadows, near Wrexham. The land in the vicinity of Trevalyn stands at an elevation of 7 meters (23 feet) above sea level, making it susceptible to flooding.
On Sunday morning, NRW lifted a severe flood warning that covered Llandrinio in Powys, where the rivers Severn and Vyrnwy converge. Meanwhile, Transport for Wales, the rail operator, experienced ongoing service disruptions throughout the day due to flooding-related disruptions.
