A review has found that Wales’ flood and coastal defences performed well in the December and January storms, protecting over 99% of coastal properties at risk of flooding, Natural Resources Minister, Alun Davies has said today.

The Minister was speaking about the findings of the Natural Resources Wales flood review that he commissioned after severe storms hit Wales in December and January.

The flood review indicates that while the storms and associated coastal conditions reached levels and a ferocity not seen in Wales for many years, less than 1% of the properties and agricultural land at potential risk were actually flooded.

The performance of Welsh flood defences protected coastal homes and businesses and reduced both the cost of the emergency service response and the repair bill for local and national infrastructure.

The report suggests that without the investment into flood defences over the past ten years, the impact of the recent storms would have been considerably higher on coastal communities, with an increased risk of loss of life.

Alun Davies said:

“The weather conditions experienced in Wales over the past two months have been some of the worst on record. The damage and disruption to the coast has been significant and my sympathies are very much with those families, businesses and communities affected. However, this report shows that without our continued investment in flood and coastal defences, the picture could have been far worse.