Abergele Floods - July 1971

Summer downpours, the River Gele bursts its banks, Abergele bears the brunt of it. A washed-away car stuck under the Market Street bridge creates a dam which adds to the problems.

Torrential, summer rain fills the River Gele to overflowing and the streets, shops and houses of Abergele, Conwy, become part of the river. Hundreds of gallons of deep, turbulent water course along roads and through buildings. People gathered in the Farmhouse Cafe greet the camera across the waves. A passing rubbish bin indicates the speed and force of the water. Members of the Junior Tradesman’s Regiment based at Kinmel Park Camp, Rhyl, have arrived to help out.

Over 40 years after this disastrous flooding, Abergele was finally provided with defences against such an onslaught of water with a bypass culvert and flood walls which were installed in 2011/2012.