Major incident declared in west Wales after heavy rainfall flooding

A major incident was declared by Dyfed Powys police for parts of west Wales after very heavy rainfall on 4 November 2025, according to Natural Resources Wales¹. Severe property flooding occurred and people were rescued by the fire service in Whitland, Carmarthen, Kidwelly and St Clears, with property flooding also reported in Pontygothi, Ferryside and Saundersfoot¹.

A severe flood warning was issued for Kiln Park holiday park in Tenby, where a number of guests had to be rescued from the park¹. There was widespread travel disruption to road and rail, and schools closed across Carmarthen and in Pembroke¹. In total, 86 residential and 8 business properties were reported as flooding across South Wales and Ceredigion¹.

The event came during a wet autumn. Wales recorded its tenth wettest autumn since records began in 1836, with 37% above average rainfall, and the unsettled pattern continued into the winter¹. Across the 2025/26 financial year there were 140 days of elevated flood risk (minor forecast impacts and above), including 33 days of heightened flood risk (significant forecast impacts and above)¹.

Natural Resources Wales sets out the scale of exposure in Wales in its annual report:

The same report records that, as of April 2025, the undefended sum of properties at risk of flooding in Wales is 342,436¹. It also describes a second major incident later the same month: Storm Claudia brought 50 to 75mm of rain across large areas of east Wales, with 75 to 100mm locally, and a major incident was declared in the early hours of Saturday 15 November after record river levels on the River Monnow¹. Around 250 residential and business properties were flooded across Monmouthshire, with about 50 more reported flooded across South East Wales and Denbighshire¹. A further unnamed storm on 1 December brought widespread flooding of roads and low lying areas in West Wales, with Pembrokeshire particularly badly affected¹.

Why it matters for households

The 4 November incident affected households in west Wales directly, through flooding of homes and businesses and through rescues, road and rail disruption and school closures¹. Natural Resources Wales reports that about one in seven properties in Wales is estimated to be at risk of flooding¹. Its account of Monmouth later in November notes that defences can overtop, and that a false sense of protection from defences can exist where a town has not flooded significantly for some years¹.

For households in Wales, flood warnings and risk maps are published by Natural Resources Wales, and its flood warning service for Wales went live on 17 July 2024¹. The report also records that the Welsh Government published a revised planning policy, TAN15: Development, Flooding and Coastal Erosion, on 31st March 2025¹.

What happens next

Natural Resources Wales reports that updated allowances for peak river flows and extreme rainfall events were published on 20 March 2026, based on outputs from UKCP18¹. It also records that its new telemetry system, Tanio, part of a £6m investment project, will go live in early 2026/27¹. No further steps specific to the 4 November major incident are given in the report¹.

Households can read the site's guidance on what it means when a major incident is declared, on flood alerts, flood warnings and severe flood warnings, on whether it is safe to walk or drive through floodwater, and on returning home safely after a flood. Guidance is also available on flooding in Wales and Natural Resources Wales warnings and risk maps and on making an insurance claim after a flood.