Dan Townsend, Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT)
Storm Bert has left communities across South Wales reeling. Streets have turned into rivers, homes are waterlogged, and Pontypridd’s lido – lovingly restored after the 2019-20 floods – is once again in ruins. While the destruction may seem natural, the root causes are anything but.
RCT’s valleys, historically shaped by industry, now bear the scars of neglect. The extensive mining of Pennant Sandstone, vital for natural water absorption, has weakened the land’s ability to manage rainfall (See ‘Kids in Glyncoch deserve to breathe’ at socalistparty.org.uk).
Combined with widespread deforestation, these man-made changes have left the area vulnerable to flooding. Despite the Welsh government’s 2008 woodland strategy to protect and expand forests, tree removal continues to destabilise hillsides and increase surface water runoff.
Coal tip landslide
These environmental challenges were compounded by a coal tip landslide in Cwmtillery in Blaenau Gwent, eerily reminiscent of the 2020 Tylorstown collapse. Both disasters serve as stark warnings about the dangers of ignoring long-standing calls to make these sites safe. Residents feel abandoned, trapped between environmental degradation and political inertia.
Andrew Morgan, leader of RCT Council, criticised the Met Office for issuing only a yellow weather warning, suggesting an amber alert was warranted. While accurate forecasting is crucial, this deflection fails to address the council’s own shortcomings. With £270 million in council reserves, why hasn’t more been invested in flood defences and preventative infrastructure?
Local MP Alex Davies-Jones’s crowdfunding campaign for recovery efforts has sparked debate. While well-intentioned, it raises difficult questions. Should the public be asked to donate when they already pay taxes to fund such emergencies? Critics argue this highlights a deeper failure of leadership to protect vulnerable communities effectively.
The people of RCT deserve better. As climate change makes extreme weather more frequent, robust flood defences, reforestation efforts, and urgent action on coal tip safety must be prioritised. Storm Bert isn’t just a natural disaster, it’s a symptom of systemic neglect. Unless decisive action is taken, this cycle of destruction and despair will continue.
