Wet weather set to last all month after Wales is battered by 'unprecedented' six inches of rain in just 24 hours

Wet weather set to last all month after Wales is battered by 'unprecedented' six inches of rain in just 24 hours

• Double the average monthly rain pours down in just 24 hours in some parts of West Wales
  
• Four sites near River Lery completely evacuated as rescuers save 150 people
• West Wales was wettest part of UK yesterday and received a month's worth of rain in a single day
  
• RNLI rescue have to be saved themselves after becoming stranded during rescue attempt
• Stunned holidaymakers told how flood waters submerged 'everything in their way' after nearby river burst banks
• 'European monsoon' set to continue into next week with unsettled weather set to last at least a fortnight

By Chris Parsons and Christopher Leake

PUBLISHED: 03:38 EST, 9 June 2012 | UPDATED: 04:44 EST, 10 June 2012

Residents and holidaymakers will learn today whether they can return to their flood-ravaged homes after the 'unprecedented' torrents of water which swept through West Wales yesterday.

A large-scale rescue operation is now in full swing in Aberystwyth and surrounding areas, after heavy rainfall sent water several feet deep surging through communities in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Some 150 people were rescued and evacuated to the centres as caravan parks and villages near Aberystwyth were inundated after twice as much rain fell in 24 hours than normally falls in the area in the whole of June.

Issued by the Ministry of Defence, these pictures show an RAF Valley Sea King from C Flight of No 22 Squadron rescuing four members of the Borth Lifeboat team after their inflatable boat had become caught by debris during severe flooding

Just beyond the shallow waters shown in this photograph was a fast-flowing newly-created river which prevented the four man volunteer team from reaching safety

RAF Winchman Sergeant Dickie Myers, ensured that all four RNLI crewmen were transferred to safety by using the Sea King helicopter's winching capability

Flood warnings remained in place today for the River Rheidol and the River Teifi near Lampeter, as forecasters warned that Wales and the rest of the UK would see little respite from the wet weather.

Drizzles, scattered showers and general unsettled weather will remain over Britan today and for most of next week.

The Met Office issued the grim forecast that early signs suggested there would not be a return to sustained UK-wide sunny weather until the end of the month.

Fire crews assessing the devastation in Wales today said there had been 'mass scale damage to caravan parks and private dwellings throughout the area'.

Andy Francis, of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, told the BBC that danger remaine from biohazards, sewerage and other contaminants which had entered the waters around flooded areas.

Dozens of people had to be rescued from homes and caravans after serious floods hit west Wales

The RNLI flood rescue team conducting a search in Aberystwyth

Holidaymakers and residents were helped to safety in a large-scale rescue operation mounted by fire crews, coastguard lifeboats and military helicopters when water swept through caravan parks and villages near Aberystwyth

Mr Francis also warned anyone against attempting to drive through the flooded areas, as they could 'becoming a casualty and require rescue'.

The freak floods yesterday cut off villages and roads in Ceredigion, Mid-Wales, swamping holiday parks and residential streets and leaving some people trapped in upstairs rooms.

Pa ul Mott, senior forecaster with MeteoGroup, said in the 24 hours to 7am yesterday even more - an incredible 150mm (or 6in) - fell in the hills of central and eastern Ceredigion.

He said the average amount of rain for the whole month of June in that area is nearer just under three inches or (70mm).

'That's what's caused the problem, all the rainwater has funnelled into the rivers, causing flooding in river valleys,' he said.

Royal Air Force Sea King helicopters, inshore life boats and fire service rescue boats were called to the Riverside Caravan Park in Llandre, Bow Street, near Aberystwyth, one of the most severely-affected sites where 'numerous people' needed help.

Submerged: The Riverside Caravan Park is turned into a 'river' at the peak of flooding early this morning, as torrents of water raged through the site

Rescue: Life boats reach the corner of the caravan park, where torrential waters have partly-submerged cars and reached half-way up some of the holiday homes

Two cars are almost washed away as water levels reached several feet high this morning on the Welsh site

Soggy summer: Another caravan has its entire base and large parts of its exterior covered in muddy water thanks to the overnight deluge

In West Wales early on Saturday, fire crews rescued dozens of people using inshore life boats.

Dramatic scenes even saw an RNLI rescue crew require airlifting themselves, after becoming stranded while attempting to save others from the torrents of water.

Holidaymakers were pulled to safety due to a 'heavy current of water running through the caravan park', according to the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

Wrecked: The stairway up to a static home is left pulled from its base as the flood waters eventually subsided into pools of grime early this afternoon

Disastrous: An aerial image taken from above the Riverside Caravan Park shows the number of static homes which endured the barrage of water, while right, a breakdown truck was also caught out

In trouble: This row of caravans and tents also took a battering from the weather, as huge swathes of water surrounding the park

The scene at Riverside Caravan Park in Llandre, after swollen waters breached the banks of the River Lery

The flooded gardens of residential properties in Machynlleth in Powys, Wales

The flooding in West Wales spread to more populated parts of Aberystwyth today, as this Morrisons supermarket was flooded this morning, trapping staff inside

Weather warning: An ill-judged supermarket cone appears to tellmany people outside the Morrisons supermarket what they knew already

Caravan residents told how they woke up in the middle of the night to see large parts of the site being submerged in water.

Katie Hughes, who had been in a caravan with her young children, told Sky News yesterday: 'The first we knew about it was at about 3.40am when we were woken up.

'There was water everywhere and parts of the caravan were almost completely underwater.

'I've never seen anything like this but everyone is pulling together. It is the entire caravan park that has become on big river.

'The water has come from the side of the river and has just taken everything in its way.'

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said Milford Haven Coastguard were contacted by Dyfed Powys police at 4.30am on Saturday requesting assistance at a caravan park at the side of the River Lery near Borth.

Chief Inspector Robin Mason, of Dyfed Powys Police, said it was difficult to give an exact number of those rescued, but said he was 'aware of about 30 to 40 people evacuated from various places' and there were 'probably more'.

Stephen South, the owner of the Riverside Caravan Park, told how a crew from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution had attempted to evacuate residents, but ended up having to be airlifted themselves.

Mr South told the Daily Telegraph that an RAF Sea King helicopter which had been airlifting residents from static homes also had to save the inshore lifeboat crew.

He said: 'At 2am the river that runs alongside the site breached the banks. It gradually got worse and we have been evacuating people ever since.

'They launched the life boat to get people but the force of the water swept the lifeboat into one of the buildings.

'The last people to be rescued were the lifeboat crew.'

He told the BBC: 'When caravan parks have about 2ft of water, people have been able to make their own way in an orderly manner.

'Since dawn, a lot of people have decided to leave by their own accord.'

He said some people were trapped in buildings, but added: 'However, they are upstairs.

'We have emergency rescue teams in the area with inflatables and we are in the process of evacuating people.'

Aberystwyth and Borth Coastguard rescue teams were called out as well as the Borth RNLI inshore lifeboat.

A rescue helicopter was also requested and sent to the scene, the MCA said in a statement.

The rescue teams helped 20 people from their caravans, and two of them needed help from ambulance crews because of mobility difficulties.

The statement added there was concern for others at other caravan parks further down the river and coastguard rescue teams were deployed to them.

George Crumpler, Cambrian sector manager, said: 'We responded to the request for assistance and are evacuating those at risk with the help of the other emergency services.'

RAF search and rescue crew member Sergeant Dickie Myers told Sky News: 'We were airborne just after five o'clock, we were told there were floods in the area.

'We saw the river was fairly swollen, the water level was above car levels in some places, and up to the windows of static caravans.

'Thankfully there was an on scene coordinator from the coastguard.

'We did all we could, and when we left the area we felt we'd helped everybody that we could.'

Christine Roberts, from Dol-y-bont, was awoken by a neighbour and  had only minutes to get out of her bungalow before being taken to  a rescue centre.

She said: ‘My home is totally flooded â€" everything is gone, everything is ruined. We have nothing. The only clothes we have are what we’re standing up in.’

Fire chiefs said that the tide had peaked in some areas of Wales by yesterday afternoon. RNLI flood response manager Robin Goodlad said: ‘The rescue team have plenty of experience at dropping things at a moment’s notice to go out on  rescues. But the scale and speed at which it has come together has been fantastic.’

Chief Inspector Robin Mason of Dyfed-Powys Police said that the numbers of those re scued would ‘probably run into the hundreds’ by the time that the full scale of the flooding had become clearer.

Last night David Cameron offered his ‘full support’ to all affected by the storms and passed on his thanks to the emergency services.

Wading in: A pair or residents in Aberystwyth struggle in waist-high waters in West Wales after the River Rheidol burst its banks over the weekend

The village of Talybont Ceredigion in West Wales also suffered today after the River Lery became rose by over eight feet

Abandoned rescue: A breakdown truck is itself left stranded in murky waters which went half way up its doors

Washout: A man walks through a flooded street in Ceredigion, as a deluge of overnight water hit West Wales.

Fighting the tide: Fire crews survey the scene in Ceredigion as flood waters engulf one of the main streets.

Making a splash: Elsewhere, Two bike riders narrowly avoid a soaking as a nearby motorist negotiates a partially-flooded road in Scropton, Derbyshire, today

Monster: A huge wave crashes against the lighthouse at Porthcawl, South Wales as gale force winds are predicted to reach up to 80mph

Water logged: High winds and stormy seas lash the seaside town of Aberystwyth in Wales

Whoops: The 70mph winds in Poole, Dorset blew a roof at Sunseeker Yachts on top of one of the factory's 28metre super yachts, worth £5million. Ironically, the unnamed owner had been due to make the final payment on the boat today

White horses: Gale Force Winds cause enormous waves to crash against the sea wall and lighthouse at Porthcawl, Wales, left, while right, a surfer braves the swell at Coney Beach at Porthcawl

Elsewhere in Britain, organisers were forced to cancel an annual South Asian festival that regularly attracts over 100,000 visitors due to the bad weather.

The Bradford Mela, due to be held yesterday, has been cancelled for safety reasons after the park in which it is held became heavily waterlogged.

The free event, which combines markets, funfairs, food and drink, arts, music, dance and children's activities, has been held at Peel Park in Bradford since 1998.

A statement on Bradford District Council's website read: 'The council's events organiser and parks managers assessed conditions at Peel Park this morning and the heavily waterlogged ground conditions left them with no other option but to cancel the Mela for safety reasons.

'Council officers deemed the huge infrastructure of the Mela, which consists of stages, marquees, fairground rides and temporary buildings, could be compromised by the soft and shifting ground in Peel Park. The Mela was organised for Saturday June 9 from 12pm until 8pm.

'Inspections revealed pools of standing water in key areas, including the car park. The Met Office adviser confirmed to us that there will be continued showers throughout yesterday and overnight, meaning that the showers will add to already saturated ground.

'There were also concerns that attempts to use the park would severely damage the ground, including community football pitches, and would take several seasons of work to repair.'

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