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Tuesday, 31 October, 2000, 19:32 GMT
Flood defences to be reviewed
![]() Roads became rivers as the flood water rose
The Welsh Environment Minister Sue Essex has announced a review of flood defence systems in Wales.
As Wales struggles to return to normality after the flloods, Ms Essex said climate change will make more severe weather inevitable. "A great deal has been achieved over the years but I am not convinced that we have in place the institutions we need to cope with the greater challenges we now face," she said. Meanwhile, householders and businesses across Wales continue mopping up after torrential rain caused widespread flooding. With thousands of properties waterlogged or battered by gale force winds, the cost to insurance companies is likely to be huge. And weather forecasters are warning there are more gales on the way on Wednesday night.
The River Severn burst its banks in several places. Hundreds of residents of Bangor on Dee near Wrexham are preparing to spend a second night away from their homes. Over fifty people from the village stayed at a Leisure Centre last night after emergency services evacuated the area. Torrential rain caused severe problems in the north east Wales on Monday evening. Wrexham, Deeside, the Vale of Clwyd, Flint and Mold were particularly affected. A combination of bad weather and a high tide on the River Dee meant Deeside suffered from widespread localised flooding, affecting 50 houses in all in Pentre and Mancot.
Coastal towns were also hit, including Barmouth, Brynsiencyn in Anglesey and Llanddulas - where an elderly woman was rescued by firefighters from her home in Station Road. One of the major highways in South Wales - the Heads of the Valleys road - will remain closed for the rest of this week after a landslide brought 2,500 tons of slurry down onto the road. The three carriageways have been completely blocked and motorists are being warned of serious delays as diversions are put in place. Rail services are still disrupted with Valley Lines' Treherbert to Pontypridd line still closed. Trains from Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare are terminating at Taffs Well with buses for onward journeys.
First Great Western trains from west Wales are terminating at Bridgend with buses to Cardiff. Services from Cardiff to London are running but with a 20-minute delay. The Heart of Wales Line is still closed. The line from Newport to Hereford is open but is closed between Hereford and Church Stretton. Meanwhile, severe flood warnings remain in place for the rivers Wye, Monnow, Vyrnwy, Upper Severn and the Lower Dee valley.
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