The recent landslip in Cwmtillery, South Wales, is a stark reminder of the dangerous legacy left behind by coal mining.
Torrential rain caused a coal tip above the home of Ralph Connor and Tina Honeyfield to collapse, sending a slurry of mud, stones, and debris flooding through their terraced house.
The couple, along with their two children, are now living in temporary accommodations, while their home remains powerless and caked in mud.
The danger posed by abandoned coal tips is not new. There are 360 such sites across Wales classified as safety risks, with inspections mandated once or twice annually.
However, increasingly intense rainfall, exacerbated by climate change, is making them more unstable.
Connor, whose family was caught at the epicenter, laments the lack of action: “All these Welsh resources were stripped away, and Wales is left with a dangerous aftermath.”
The landslip has reopened wounds from past disasters like Aberfan in 1966, which claimed 144 lives. Residents feel that despite the tragedies, little has changed.
Heavy rains reveal the human cost of neglected infrastructure and climate-linked disasters in Wales.For some, disillusionment with the Labour Party, historically dominant in the region, is growing. Tina Honeyfield voices a common sentiment: “People are angry. We lived under a dangerous tip without knowing. It should be removed.”
Flooding has compounded the devastation. In Pontypridd, the River Taff burst its banks, inundating homes that were also affected during Storm Dennis in 2020.
Residents report inadequate warnings and insufficient flood defenses. Lesley Glennie, who faced knee-deep water in her home, says, “This happened in Storm Dennis. I don’t want to go through it again.”
While the Welsh government allocated £25m for tip remediation, experts estimate the need is over £500m. Meanwhile, families face soaring insurance premiums and the emotional toll of repeated displacement.
Reform UK, a political party opposing climate change policies, is gaining traction in these communities. Its leaders deny climate change’s role in the flooding and instead blame governance failures.
The fight for safety and accountability continues, as affected families seek solutions for a safer future and political leaders face growing scrutiny for years of neglect.