PREVIEW

The consequences of Storm Bert's devastation have impacted numerous communities throughout the UK, particularly those residing in the Rhondda Valley, Wales. In Trehafod, a historic area within the valley, residents have experienced severe flooding for the second time in four years. As water levels surged and drains quickly overflowed, the community found itself in a state of urgency, compelled to unite and manage the crisis independently, as emergency services, council workers, and MP’s were absent to provide assistance or guidance during and following the storm. 

Residents are not only concerned about the damage inflicted on their properties and the potential health risks posed by sewage and mould, but also about the prospect of additional rainfall in the coming days.

Lewis Gealy, 23, from Fountain Street in Trehafod is one of those residents affected. He describes the devastating aftermath of Storm Bert, detailing the extensive flood damage to his home and the community. “It’s ripped our life apart. We've lost everything. We don't even have a front room. It's all outside.” Lewis highlighted the loss of personal belongings, including important documents and medication, and the severe mould and drainage issues. “That's something that we have to just bear with as a family at the moment, living in a bit a building site with mould and all bits of gravel that's come up as well.... We've lost stuff that actually matters. With the sofas, that sort of thing that can be easily replaced. But we have lost some important things to us, like photos of me graduating from university. We've also lost my mother's medication... Our life has been like pulled from underneath us. It's unbelievable. I've had to leave my job where I work in order to put my house back right so we can have a nice Christmas here, and I've got four weeks to do it. I'm a 23-year-old boy, I feel like I shouldn't need this stress, especially so close to Christmas.” 

Despite the council previously installing a flood defence in 2020, during this storm, Storm Bert, the defence was proved ineffective, leaving the community to manage the crisis alone. Lewis explains “They (the council) installed anti-defence systems, which are the pumps, and they haven't been used correctly. So they were used while the houses were flooded. They should be used when the first reported bit of water is storing up to stop the houses from flooding. The council's completely let us down, and as a community, we've had to come together again.” 

The community found themselves compelled to take matters into their own hands in order to remove and salvage whatever they could. Lewis, along with several friends and neighbours, excavated the blocked drains to alleviate the water accumulation, tore out damaged flooring, and disposed of flood-affected furniture. They also relocated all recoverable items, including food, to elevated storage areas within the properties. Throughout this ordeal, it appeared that the council had overlooked the needs of the community. “I reported to them (the council) on Sunday at 12 o'clock, and they still haven't been seen. They haven't come out at all. We've had to monitor the drains. We've had to dig out all the mud that's come in. I've had to clean my house, and other members of the community had to clean their house. We've even had a member of the community up the street that's made our family a cooked dinner because we can't eat here. We have managed to clean out the water, but it's still drainage water. It's dirty water you can't be eating or all living in these sort of conditions. And again, like I've already said, the council is nowhere to be seen. I've rung them three times reporting what’s happened. We need humidifiers. We need stuff to actually help us, and I've been told we need to wait. Bearing in mind, I've rung an emergency Council number, which was put out by Chris Bryant, and I've been told we need to wait.”

The emotional impact on the community has been significant due to the damage resulting from the council's delayed response to the storm. “My mother's completely distraught. She's devastated because from the last storm, it took two years to get our house back to how she wanted… Now, as soon as that's been built up, it's been ripped apart again.” 

The broader health consequences are a significant concern for the community. Lewis is particularly anxious about his mother, who continues to experience adverse health effects stemming from the storm damage and flooding that occurred in 2020. “In 2020 we were made to live in the same condition as you can see now, dirty water, dirty sewage water. From that, my mother had to go to the hospital because she had bad pneumonia, and she still hasn't recovered from it. She still has a chesty cough now to the point where she sometimes can't even breathe or get her words out. That's affected us from four years ago, and now to be back at square one again, it is very worrying for not just my mother's house, but everyone else in the street as well.”

Lewis expressed his complete dissatisfaction with the council's slow response and insufficient support, which included the provision of sandbags and humidifiers. He highlighted the emotional and financial burdens faced by his family and the wider community, calling for prompt assistance and the establishment of effective measures to avert future calamities. Additionally, as the cost of living continues to rise, many residents in working-class areas, like Trehaford, are finding it increasingly difficult to manage their electricity and gas expenses, especially with Christmas fast approaching. The repercussions of this storm are likely to have a more profound impact on the community. “The community is a working-class community. We don't have the most money in the world to be sorting this sort of thing out. I think it's coming to breaking point and someone needs to do something, because us as a community are just crying out for someone to help us, and I think that we are forgotten about, and it just needs to be sorted.”