Storm Bert causes total heartbreak as 'beautiful' shops completely flooded

Shops were submerged with soiled h2o (Image: Getty Images)

The South Wales Valleys were near devastated implicit the play arsenic Storm Bert wreaked havoc connected homes and businesses.

Pontypridd's Mill Street was deed for the 2nd clip successful 4 years, with "dirty stream water" flooding shops and businesses. Zucco Cafe owner, Enrico Orsi, likened the country to the Titanic arsenic helium told WalesOnline helium frantically tried to support his cafe from the floodwaters.

In 2020, the thoroughfare besides bore the brunt of Storm Dennis, which caused terrible harm to businesses crossed the town. Despite the heartbreak, the assemblage is rallying together, urging radical to enactment section businesses successful the pb up to Christmas.

While it whitethorn instrumentality immoderate clip to rebuild the municipality centre, residents are determined to bash everything they tin to assistance their community. They're encouraging everyone to sojourn the municipality centre during the festive play to marque a difference.

Several TikTok videos person surfaced showing the grade of the storm's destruction. Author Sarah Phelps shared a video revealing however Storyville Books, a section bookstore, was ruined by the floods successful little than a day.

Just past week, the store was bustling with stocked shelves and a beauteous children's speechmaking area. Now, the banal has been destroyed and covered successful "dirty stream water".

The Lost Boys Club Barbers besides showcased melodramatic scenes arsenic h2o gushed into the establishment. Its owner, Josh Downes, took to societal media to unfastened up astir the ordeal, declaring helium has seen his concern "fall galore times before", yet remains resolute to rally back.

In an overwhelming show of resilience communal among the section traders, the plea to the assemblage is clear. They request enactment to get backmost connected their feet connected the run-up to Christmas.

Martha's Homestore posted: "Thank you to each who person messaged to inquire however things are. We are pulling unneurotic arsenic a assemblage to assistance each other's businesses to cleanable up. This tin ne'er hap again.

"The champion mode you tin assistance present is to store section this Christmas and bargain from us! Order a publication @storyvilleponty oregon get immoderate gifts from me! So galore regular customers are present helping! It's been an astonishing absorption adjacent though it's specified an upsetting day."

Yoga teacher James Thomas echoed this community-driven sentiment, writing: "Let's enactment @storyvillepontypridd, @marthashomestore, @zuccocafe, @lostboysbarbershop this Christmas and crook a antagonistic concern into a affirmative for them."

How tin you help?

If you unrecorded near, oregon are blessed to bid online, determination are a fig of things you tin bash to assistance the autarkic businesses.

• Storyville books - the store said it's apt to beryllium closed for the adjacent week pursuing the floods. You tin besides acquisition your reads online here.
• Zucco - Zucco has confirmed it volition beryllium unfastened from contiguous (Monday), and teas, coffees and pastries volition beryllium available.
• Martha's Homestore - the store has been advertizing caller banal and Christmas gifts online, and encourages radical to sojourn to assistance section businesses to get backmost connected their feet connected the tally up to Christmas. You tin besides order online.
• Lost Boys Club Barbers - concern volition beryllium backmost unfastened arsenic mean from Tuesday.
• Pontypridd Nisa and Post Office - the Post Office volition stay closed connected Monday owed to the flood damage, but hopes to re-open ASAP.