In the towns devastated by Storm Bert, residents question whether enough was done to warn of flood risk

After the anguish, came the anger. As flood waters subsided across the south Wales valleys and devastated residents and business owners surveyed the damage done by Storm Bert, questions were being asked about whether warnings were adequate.

Many of the overwhelmed towns and villages experienced similar devastation in 2020 when Storm Dennis swept through – yet those interviewed by the Guardian said little if anything had been done to future-proof against floods and storms in the intervening years.