Monmouthshire County Council has launched a special task group to deal with the mass recovery operation following the unprecedented flooding experienced across the county.

Recovery Co-ordinating Group (RCG) ‘Attis’ has been set up in conjunction with neighbouring authorities in Gwent and agencies such as Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales.

The council and partners are working hard to assess the damage and impact on residents, businesses, infrastructure and the environment caused by Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis – with over 100 residential properties and a number of businesses already being identified as impacted by the floods in Monmouthshire.

With the cost of the recovery operation expected to run into tens of millions, the task group has already begun seeking financial assistance from the Welsh Government.

The task group is expected to be operational for a number of months, and possibly longer given the scale of the task, until the disruption has been rectified, demands on services have returned to normal levels, and the needs of those affected have been met.

To help the group carry out their response, anyone affected by flooding in Monmouthshire is being asked to get in touch with the council. A simple form can be accessed via the ‘My Monmouthshire’ app or on the council’s website. Staff across the county’s Community Hubs are also on hand to help anyone with the form if they do not have access to a computer.

The council has been overwhelmed by the generosity of people of offering support and donations. These offers have included donations of food, furniture and clothing, as well as offers of housing and transport. A number of people and businesses have also come forward to offer manpower to help with clean-ups and disposal of waste. Anyone who is able to offer support is also being encouraged to get in contact in order for all offers of help to be documented.

Council leader, Peter Fox said: “The impact on our beautiful county, residents and businesses from these extreme events has been devastating and the loss felt by those affected is going to be long-lasting. Through the establishment of RCG Attis we have already begun identifying what levels of support and advice are available to our residents and it will be these offers of support that start us on the long road to recovery. I could not think of a more appropriate name for this group than Attis – the Greek God of rebirth. In these unprecedented times, I’m extremely proud of our communities who have all rallied together to support their neighbours and offer everything from free sofas and food to getting stuck in with the clean-up of debris and waste. You have been remarkable. To those affected, I can reassure you we are working around the clock to get Monmouthshire back up and running.”