PANORAMA A royal visit after the floods

The Prince of Wales saw first hand the devastation wrought by Storm Dennis when he visited flood-ravaged Wales last week. Prince Charles met residents and toured businesses in Pontypridd that had been left under water after a month’s rain fell in 24 hours the previous weekend. Crowds had gathered to greet the future King, who took time to talk to locals as he toured the high street (below), which had suffered the effects of the River Taff reaching its highest level in more than 40 years. He also met emergency responders and visited celebrated café Princes Restaurant, one of many local businesses flooded in the storm. It has been serving the community in and around Taff Street for more than 70 years. Owner Joe Gambarini said Charles told him: “We only hope you can carry on. I have been warning about this for many years, when I talked about global warming and that this was going to happen.”

The storm battered much of the UK, with the Met Office issuing ten “danger to life” warnings because of flooding and high winds. The worst-affected areas included South Wales, Scotland and North East England, with many people forced from their homes.

To the west of England in Ross-on-Wye, cars were left submerged after the river burst its banks, and residents in nearby Hereford had to sit tight in flooded homes as they waited to be rescued by boat.

Severe flood warnings remained in place in the aftermath of Storm Dennis, with more heavy rain expected across the country.

Floods engulf Severn Stoke near Worcester and (below left) Ross-on-Wye, with emergency services called in to evacuate residents by raft in Nantgarw (below). Scotland too felt the brunt of Storm Dennis, with waves lashing the sea wall in Ardrossan (top left)