A Welsh council has made history by purchasing 16 flood-prone homes to relocate dozens of residents to safety.
The move demonstrates how proactive government action can protect communities from escalating extreme weather threats — exacerbated by rising global temperatures — and deliver relief to families in danger.
As The Guardian reported, Rhondda Cynon Taf county borough council approved spending over 2.5 million British pounds ($3.1 million) to acquire properties along Clydach Terrace in Ynysybwl, cover legal expenses, and support resident relocation.
Officials believe no other U.K. local authority has undertaken such an extensive inland housing buyout specifically to shield people from worsening flood risks.
Storm Dennis struck the community in 2020, forcing some residents to swim through chest-deep water inundating their ground floors. The disaster also left properties uninsurable or subject to crushing premium costs.
Local councillor Amanda Ellis noted residents experienced "fight-or-flight" mode during previous rainstorms, with some going on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder.
"Residents are terrified," Ellis said at the council hearing. "This is no way to live, glued to the weather forecasts. This is no longer a one in 100 or 200 years event. It happens every few years."
Natural Resources Wales had previously investigated building elevated protective barriers but determined the project failed economic viability tests under existing funding frameworks. Authorities concluded that flooding frequency would increase, prompting the council to pursue the unprecedented acquisition and demolition plan.
Removing these structures from high-risk zones will better allow natural water flow patterns to resume, reducing downstream flooding impacts on other communities and restoring riverside habitats.
Paul Thomas, who has lived on the street for over four decades, welcomed the decision despite difficult family separations.
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$200 or more 💰 "It's been horrifying," he told The Guardian. "You only get a few months of rest in the summer. When the winter comes, you're just waiting for disaster."
Insurance costs had also become "astronomical," though he felt fortunate obtaining any coverage whatsoever.
Rebecca Chadwick was emotional while telling the publication, "We've lived too long under the shadow of danger. Every weather warning triggers panic. We've had six long years trying to get this sorted."
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