'It looked like somebody had picked up the river and just dumped it on us'

IN THE early hours of Saturday morning, Monmouth awoke to a scene of devastation as Storm Claudia unleashed a torrent of rainfall, leading to the River Monnow reaching record highs and bursting its banks.

- HOLLY MORGAN Reporter [e-mail]

A cascade of muddy, fast-moving water swept down Monnow Street, submerging cars, flooding shop fronts and inundating homes.

A major incident was declared, and emergency services scrambled through the night, performing rescues, evacuations and welfare checks, while residents were moved to places of safety.

South Wales Fire & Rescue Service (SWFRS) declared the situation a major incident at around 1.30am on Saturday, citing “severe and widespread” flooding that put infrastructure under intense pressure.

SWFRS area manager Matt Jones urged locals to stay clear of flooded zones, stressing that keeping roads open was crucial for emergency access.

The scale of rainfall was astonishing. In Gwent, rain gauges recorded up to 119.6mm over just 12 hours - more than half the usual monthly average for November.

Hundreds of people have since been evacuated from their homes and 250 homes were still without power. Those able to return to their homes yesterday described having to throw away all their furniture.

Jordan Lewis, 31, and her dog Django were rescued by fire crews after being trapped all night inside her high-street flat.