PRIME Minister Keir Starmer has “offered support” to the Welsh Government to respond to the flooding, it has been confirmed.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: "The prime minister was in touch with the first minister over the weekend to offer his support following the flooding in Monmouthshire. The First Minister updated the PM on the flooding response."

Storm Claudia caused the River Monnow to burst its banks in Monmouth early on Saturday morning, with more than half of the high street shops hit, while there was also significant flooding in Abergavenny and Skenfrith

BBC Wales News reported that Eluned Morgan told the Senedd at First Minister’s Questions: "We knew this was coming, and we've been offered support by the prime minister.

"It is of course important that we stand with these communities, and that's why we have the Emergency Financial Assistance Schemes for these very scenarios.

"I know that the propositions are being built up as we speak, and local government finance officials are working to establish what support can be provided."

Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Darren Millar said he had seen "the devastation" in a visit to the town, and called for "speedy action" to help those affected.

He said: "Communities here in Wales right now need your support, so can I urge you to pull that emergency funding trigger to get the help into the hands of those Welsh families and businesses affected by flooding who desperately need it?

“What immediate support the Welsh government will provide to those who have been affected as they begin the long and painful process of rebuilding their lives".

The FM added that her government was looking at how funding could be provided "in the least bureaucratic way" and "as soon as possible".

Plaid Cymru's leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said he will write to her "seeking assurances that the Welsh Government will undertake an urgent assessment of our preparedness for extreme weather conditions this winter and beyond".

Climate Change Secretary Huw Irranca-Davies told the Senedd that "current indications suggest that hundreds of homes and business have been flooded across the county of Monmouthshire".

Properties had also been flooded in Caerphilly, Cardiff, Denbighshire, Newport, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen, and the Vale of Glamorgan, after parts of west Wales saw similar scenes earlier in the month.

"These past few weeks have been yet another reminder of the stark reality of our changing climate and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events," Irranca-Davies said.

He said the Senedd would have to "wrestle" with the question of spending more on flood defences in the future, although "we cannot defend every single inch of every single property and every piece of coastline in Wales".