A YEAR ago parts of Wakefield were submerged under water as more than 100mm of rain poured down in the space of just a few days.
More than 2,000 homes and businesses across the district were devastated as the city's drains, becks and rivers were overcome by the downpour.
Nationally, 5,000 homes are still empty and in Wakefield 47 households are still displaced.
A variety
of problems have delayed people in returning to their homes, including building work and problems over insurance claims. Some elderly residents have also chosen to stay in their temporary homes or with family rather than returning to their flood-struck houses.
Agbrigg was the worst-affected area with 21 homes still empty, including seven on Warwick Street, four on Aberford Road and another four on Frederick Avenue.
Four homes are still empty on Aberford Road, Stanley, and three in Crofton.
Wakefield Council distributed £398,400 of government funding to flood-hit families.
So far the Red Cross has donated £203,824 worth of grants.
In the aftermath of the floods the council became the first local authority in the country to publish an action plan.
The Flooding Response Plan details the steps to be taken in the event of another flood in order to avoid the chaos that engulfed the city last June.
This week a government report by Sir Michael Pitt identified an urgent need to sort out who should be in charge of drainage and maintenance of becks.
The full article contains 257 words and appears in Wakefield Express City newspaper.
