Around 230 homes and businesses are now known to have been affected by the floods that hit Carmarthenshire over the weekend.
Teams from Carmarthenshire County Council have been visiting and supporting the hardest hit areas this week, offering practical and financial support to help people get back on their feet.
The council set up a £100,000 hardship relief fund on Monday morning, offering support to residents whose homes had been affected by the floods, including a £200 advance to those in most need.
The council has used its powers under Section 2 of the Local Government Act 2000 to offer the financial assistance.
Teams of officers have been supporting people to apply for the fund, both online and in person, with the council’s mobile customer service for rural communities ‘Hwb Bach Y Wlad’ visiting hardest hit areas.
Around 160 homes were affected by the floods, some of them uninsured.
The council has also worked with Xcel Furniture in Johnstown, Carmarthen, to launch a furniture donation appeal to help people who have lost much of their household items.
An additional £200,000 fund is being made available to businesses, allocated from the Carmarthenshire Rural Enterprise Fund.
Business Support Officers have visited 110 businesses in affected areas and are currently supporting 67 businesses to apply for this grant support.
Early estimates reveal that affected businesses may have lost in the region of £3-4million, not including loss of earnings.
Council Leader Cllr Emlyn Dole said he was proud that, in addition to practical support, the council is able to offer financial assistance to families and businesses.
“Storm Callum has had a terrible effect on the lives of many people who live and work in Carmarthenshire,” he said, “I have witnessed this for myself when I have visited some of the worst hit communities.
“I also know how grateful communities have been, both in terms of the help our crews have given them to clear their damaged property and clean their homes and streets, but also with the financial assistance we have offered to help them get back on their feet.
“Section 2 of the Local Government Act 2000 allows a local authority to do anything that it considers would be likely to promote or improve the economic or social well-being of any person living in the county.
“We are pleased, having regard to the council’s corporate strategies and our statutory powers, to have set up this hardship fund to help those residents and businesses in most need.”
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