PART of a retaining wall at the River Tawe in Ystradgynlais has collapsed.

The retaining wall separates a number of properties on Llys Tawel with the River Tawe but at around 4am – Thursday, February 1 – part of the wall collapsed into the river.

Residents in the area have been campaigning for better flood defences and a new wall for a number of years and residents took to social media to complain about the length of campaign and air concerns about the effect the collapse will have on the properties.

Powys County Council officers attended this morning to assess the situation but passed over the details to Natural Resources Wales who will lead on the investigation. A spokesperson for the council said: “Powys County Council was made aware of a wall collapse on a section of the River Tawe in Ystradgynlais this morning and local officers attended to assess the situation.

“The River Tawe which is designated as a main river and therefore the lead authority in this instance would be Natural Resources Wales. We have passed details on to them, and they should be contacted for further information.”

Natural Resources Wales told the South Wales Guardian that they ‘sympathise’ with the effected landowner and that engineers will visit the area.

Neil Stoddart, Natural Resources Wales’ operations manager for land and assets, said: “We are aware that a part of a retaining wall has collapsed into the river at Ystradgynlais and we sympathise with the effected landowner.

“Our engineers will visit the area to investigate and to assess any added flood risk caused by the incident.”