Flood warnings in Wales with more rain expected

A flash warning of heavy rain in 10 counties in Wales has been added to two flood warnings and 18 flood alerts that are already in place.

The Met Office says heavy rain is expected across much of south Wales.

Flood warnings have been issued for parts of the River Teifi at Lampeter and Llanybyther and the River Rheidol at Aberystwyth.

Environment Agency Wales is urging people to remain on their guard despite the rain easing in places on Thursday.

The heavy rain warning for Thursday afternoon and evening runs from Monmouthshire and the south Wales valleys to Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

It said 15-20mm of rain was expected quite widely, with 30-40mm over higher ground.

Flood alerts are in place around the south Wales valleys, the upper Dee valley and parts of west and mid Wales.

A delivery van driver was stranded in his vehicle near Machynlleth for nearly 12 hours from just after midnight.

Philip Steward was rescued by a recovery team on the A487 at Derwenlas after his vehicle stopped in about 3ft (0.9m) of flood water.

He said: "I came round the bend and drove straight into it. There was nothing to say that there was a flood here."

In additon to the current flood warnings, there were earlier flood warnings on the River Ely at St Fagans, Cardiff, and the Dyfi Valley and parts of Machynlleth, Powys.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service responded to a call that an elderly woman was trapped in a house in Machynlleth because of flooding.

The woman, in her 90s, was stuck upstairs in a house in Dyfi Bridge. She was helped to walk out at about 1100 GMT and is thought to have been taken to a residential centre in Tywyn.

There is thought to be about a foot of water in her cottage.

The fire service has asked Gwynedd council for sandbags.

Flooding near River Dyfi in Powys

Also in Machynlleth, firefighters were called to pump out a cellar at Llynlloedd while in nearby Aberdovey, crews have been pumping water from a house on Seaview Terrace.

In south Wales, crews have pumped out homes in Alma Terrace, Ogmore Vale, after being called out at 0130 GMT on Thursday.

Seven homes are affected but householders remain at the properties.

'Rain will ease'

BBC weather forecaster Derek Brockway said: "We have had a respite this afternoon but there will be more rain this evening, with it heaviest in higher ground in the south and west.

"With up to 20mm-40mm of rain possible, there is a risk of localised flooding, given that the ground is saturated.

"On Friday there will be some more, lighter, rain in the morning but it will move away. There will be more rain and strong-to-gale-force winds to come over the weekend."

Jeremy Parr, from Environment Agency Wales, said people in flood risk areas should be "ready and alert" in case they needed to evacuate.

He said: "Rivers are reacting to overnight rainfall and levels are relatively high.

"With further rain forecast over the next few days and the weekend, and the ground approaching saturation point, further flood alerts and flood warnings may be issued across Wales.

"These could remain in place over the weekend and into next week in some places."