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A heavy downpour has caused flash flooding in Carmarthen and Swansea.
Pictures and videos from west Wales show streets and cars submerged on Saturday afternoon.
Four houses have been damaged in Carmarthen while fire crews were called to flooding in Gorseinion in Swansea, the BBC reports.
The freak weather came as many other parts of Wales enjoyed a day of sunshine as temperatures rose above 20C.
(Image: Joe Clayfield)
At around 3.45pm Andy Joyce was in his shop Carmarthen Electronics completing some requests from key workers when the rain began.
Within minutes the downpours overwhelmed the drains and began to come up through the floor in his shop basement.
“I have been here for 23 years and I have never seen that happen,” Andy said.
“It was coming down like waves and bouncing up and hitting the shop.
“The next thing it started coming through the basement from underneath the floor.”
Luckily, a fire crew returning from Kidwelly was able to help Andy control the flooding and pump the ankle-deep water out.
But he said a number of houses opposite his shop have also been badly hit.
He said: “The drains couldn’t cope. Welsh Water turned up and said it wasn’t the sewers – it had flooded the streets before it got to the sewers.
“The fire brigade were brilliant they were down there straight away.
“It came up so quickly it went up behind the plasterboard. The carpet tiles will be wrecked.
“We will be there for the next two days clearing it up.
“I didn’t have any intention of going in today but it was only because I was asked by key workers.
“Otherwise I wouldn’t have known until Monday or Tuesday and I would have lost a lot of stuff.
“I’m back and I’m sat in shorts and t-shirt. Now it’s just beautiful skies like it has been all day.”
(Image: Andy Joyce)
Andy added: “I went to M&S and the cashier told me the rain came pouring in their roof and down to the food hall.
“The houses opposite have been hit really badly, it has gone straight into their front rooms.”
Joe Clayfield, community councilor for Penyrheol in Swansea, said: “We were all in the back garden preparing for a family BBQ in lockdown, and then the heavens opened. It went from a lovely sunny day to what’s seen in the photos in about 15 or 20 minutes.
“It’s gone down now. [There’s] still quite a bit of water on the road but nothing like it was. “
Across Wales many people were able to enjoy the sunshine as temperatures soared above 20C on bank holiday Saturday.
It prompted many to venture out to Cardiff Bay and Barry Islands, despite warnings from the Welsh Government for people to stay at home after lockdown was extended for a further three weeks.
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