A major clean-up operation is under way after a south Wales town was devastated by flooding during storm Claudia, with a fundraiser for affected residents surpassing £72,500.

Record river levels triggered severe flood warnings last weekend, as the River Monnow rose higher than during Storm Dennis in 2020 and Storm Bert in 2024.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) issued alerts warning of a “significant risk to life” and parts of Monmouth and nearby villages were left underwater. It said it was looking at options to manage flood risk.

Former Monmouth MP David Davis said communities had “lost out” on flood defences despite repeated pleas for protection.

Mr Davies said people who live by the River Monnow cannot get insurance and others “are now going to find it very difficult to get insurance”.

“There are places around here like Skenfrith, that need a flood defence scheme,” he said.

“The NRW agreed with that but for one reason or another it, and I don’t want to do politics, but it just hasn’t happened and the area has lost out.”

A spokesperson for NRW said: “We recognise that Skenfrith has experienced flooding on several occasions in recent years.

“We continue to work closely with the local community and elected members to explore what options are available to help manage flood risk.

“We have followed government processes and assessed possible options, and this has shown that the most viable and cost-beneficial approach is property-level protection.

“We have been working with the community to identify the best options for each property and we are committed to taking this project forward.

“We have also been in discussions with partner organisations about the potential for nature-based catchment solutions, and these conversations are ongoing.

Monmouthshire county councillor Ian Chandler, whose patch includes Skenfrith, told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast the village has been “pretty devastated”.

“Every house was flooded. As you go there, there’s the smell of diesel fumes where oil tanks have been tipped over by the floods,” he said.

“There’s mud everywhere, people are having to put their furniture out onto the street, because it’s ruined, to be collected.

“They’re going through the process of cleaning up which they’ve had to do before, this is the fourth major flood in Skenfrith in six years. It’s a pretty depressing place.”

Mayor of Monmouth Jackie Atkin, who set up the fundraiser, said the donations has been “incredible”, adding their immediate priority is to clean up.

“The money came thick and fast… it’s just incredible, so we’ll be working out how and where to distribute those funds effectively to businesses, residents and communities affected.

“Monmouth is not shut for business, we’re definitely open.”

Rachel Hollingsbee, whose nail bar Bee You, Bee Beautiful in Monmouth has been flooded, said: “It’s just a show of mud and silt.

“Every business has been covered with a thick, grimy layer which is where most of the damage has come from. It’s going to sit there if we don’t action it quickly.”

A rain gauge in the Black Mountains on the northern edge of Monmouthshire recorded accumulations of 119.6mm between Thursday night and Saturday morning, BBC Wales environment correspondent Steffan Messenger said.

It’s more rain than would be expected for the whole month.

The impact can be clearly seen in river level data – with flows along the Monnow reaching their highest on record.

At Monnow Gate, Monmouth’s famous medieval fortified river bridge – the water level had reached 6.658 metres by 2.45am on Saturday, beating the previous record set in the wake of Storm Dennis in 2020.

Then local flood defences, built decades ago, had been enough to protect the town centre itself, though flooding from the river Wye affected the Mayhill area.

There are now calls to look again at the measures in place to guard against flooding.

The local authority had in fact been consulting on an updated Local Flood Risk Management strategy over the summer.