The Council has published an Overview Report summarising and analysing the impacts of Storm Bert across the County Borough in November 2024. This will be followed by five Section 19 flood investigation reports in the months ahead, each specific to areas hit by flooding – and residents are now asked for their help to inform this next stage of the investigation process.
Storm Bert was an extreme rainfall event that brought record-breaking rainfall and river levels across Rhondda Cynon Taf on November 23-24, 2024. The Overview Report, published on Monday, March 17, confirms that the storm resulted in internal flooding to 438 properties and caused extensive flooding to infrastructure like rail and road networks, town centres and business parks.
The report, approved by Cabinet in February 2025, overviews the roles and responsibilities of Risk Management Authorities for different flood sources. The Council is responsible for surface water, ordinary watercourses and groundwater – while main rivers are the responsibility of Natural Resources Wales, and sewer flooding is managed by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water.
The Overview Report does not identify any proposed specific causes, actions or works in relation to the storm event. The document is publicly-accessible, and can now be located on the Council’s website on the following link.
Another key aspect of the report is to set out the programme of work, in the months ahead, for the Council to deliver Section 19 reports for flooding that occurred in specific communities. This is a statutory requirement of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, and determines the actions needed to be taken by the relevant Risk Management Authority for each source of flooding.
Officers have initially investigated 25 flood locations, with five now requiring a Section 19 report. They include Cardiff Road in Aberaman, Pontypridd Town Centre, Oxford Street in Nantgarw, Britannia Street in Porth, and Abertonllwyd Street, Dunraven Street and Hill Street in Treherbert. The reports will provide detailed assessments of the flood mechanisms and impacts during the storm.
Public help to inform the next stages of investigation
The Council is now looking to collate information relating to Storm Bert, with officers collecting accounts of flooding from the local community. This will help better understand and assess the flood event, with the ultimate aim of bringing forward measures and actions to reduce the impact of future storms – including the potential development of targeted flood alleviation schemes.
A survey is now available for residents and businesses to complete on the Council website, enabling them to share their account of what happened in their community. It forms part of a dedicated consultation webpage.
Alternatively, residents can send photo and video evidence of flooding via email to FloodEventData@rctcbc.gov.uk – along with a brief description of the location. This exercise will last for six weeks, up until Monday, April 28.
Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Investment, said: “Publication of the Overview Report is the first main stage of investigation into Storm Bert, which was declared a Major Incident and caused flooding to 438 properties in Rhondda Cynon Taf. It identifies five locations for further investigation based on the Welsh Government’s criteria, and relevant Section 19 reports will be produced in the months ahead. Officers are following an established process, which saw 19 such reports published following Storm Dennis in 2020.
“Residents can be assured that we’re doing all we can to protect communities from flood risk. Since Storm Dennis, we’ve spent more than £100 million to improve, upgrade, and build infrastructure to increase resilience. We believe this investment succeeded in reducing flood risk to more than 2,200 properties four years on, in Storm Bert. However, we acknowledge that there’s still much more to do, and such storms are becoming more frequent due to climate change. We are committed to provide Council funding, and pursuing all Welsh Government funding avenues, to deliver more targeted flood alleviation work.
“Residents can also access the Council’s updated Flood Risk Management Strategy and Action Plan, which was published in February 2025, and sets out our over-arching approach to local flood risk over the next six years. It presents the Council’s objectives, measures and actions for managing the risk of flooding from local sources in our communities that we are responsible for – for example, surface water, ordinary watercourses, and groundwater. Other sources are managed by other Risk Management Authorities – for example, main river flooding is the responsibility of Natural Resources Wales.
“The next stage of investigation into Storm Bert is now underway, and will run until April 28. Officers have set up a dedicated consultation to help residents provide evidence like personal accounts, photos and videos, about what happened in the storm. This will help us better understand the activity on the ground, and make factual assessments on the cause of flooding in specific communities. I’d urge anyone who can contribute to take part in the process.”
Posted on 19/03/2025