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The scene in Laugharne after the tide hit early on Friday morning
Several rivers have burst their banks and flood protection systems are taking a battering as a tidal surge hits the Wales coastline.

Four severe flood warnings are in place in Wales - two in Flintshire, one at Barmouth in Gwynedd, and another in the Usk Estuary at Newport.

Police have been called to move people from Burry Port pier and a woman is trapped in a caravan in Llantwit Major.

Some homes in Newport were evacuated overnight.

Across much off the south and west coast of Wales, more than 50 flood warnings are in force.

In Carmarthenshire the A4066 is closed at Laugharne after the river Taf burst its banks, and the main road in Pendine is also closed due to flooding.

Ron Cant from Carmarthenshire council said some people were ignoring the dangers and the police had been called.

"Our rangers have had problems at Burry Port particularly where people have been driving down and lots going on to the pier.

"We've had to call for police assistance. They have started to move them out," said Mr Cant.

"We put warnings out asking people to stay away from coastal paths, particularly over these next couple of days where we have this situation repeated morning and evening through the weekend.

"It's extremely dangerous when the tide is in and this wind gusting up to 70-80mph driving waves in, particularly perilous for anybody on the shore side."

Up to 50 caravans have been flooded at Carmarthen Bay caravan park, he added.

In Pendine the high tide is reported to have smashed through flood boards put up on Thursday to plug gaps in the sea wall, and the Beach Hotel has been flooded.

BBC Wales reporter Gilbert John, at Castle Hill in Carmarthen overlooking the River Towy, said: "It's not a river any more, it's a sea because the entire valley is covered in water.

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While the River Towy overflowed in Carmarthen on Thursday, there are now fears over high tides affecting coastal areas
"The conditions on the shore are absolutely devastating."

The high tide - the worst in 17 years - started to hit the coast of Pembrokeshire after 07:00 GMT.

On Friday morning incidents caused by the flodding included:
  • Firefighters sent to Llantwit Major in the Vale of Glamorgan to help a woman trapped by flooding in a caravan near the beach
  • A4042 closed near Abergavenny in Monmouthshire after River Usk burst its banks
  • A466 blocked due to landslip near Trelleck Road at Tintern Abbey, Monmouthshire
  • A4066 closed at Laugharne in Carmarthenshire after river Taf burst its banks
  • Main road in Pendine closed due to flooding
  • Around 100 homes without electricity in Carmarthenshire after a number of lighting strikes
  • A487 closed between Newgale and Solva, Pembrokeshire after a pebble protection wall was breached
  • Dyfed-Powys Police said the road is impassable in the Rickeston Hill area of Milford Haven
  • Warnings of strong gusts on the A477 Cleddau Bridge, A48 Severn Bridge, M4 Briton Ferry Bridge and A55 Britannia Bridge
  • Carew Bridge impassable
  • Arriva Trains Wales - replacement bus service between Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth from 09:00-17:00 GMT. Also buses running between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog from 10:00 - 16:00 GMT
  • Railway line blocked at Pembrey and Burry Port - buses are running between Llanelli and Carmarthen
  • Ferries - Stena Line sailings between Fishguard and Rosslare cancelled
Flood warnings stretch from parts of Conwy, Anglesey and Gwynedd in the north, through Ceredigion to Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, and then across from Swansea to Cardiff, and onto Newport and Monmouthshire.

Homes on the Lighthouse Park Estate in Wentlooge Levels, Newport and in the area north of Crindau, Pill were evacuated on Thursday night because of the risk of flooding.

"This is the some of the highest tides since 1997, and on top of that it's very windy so that's causing about a one metre surge on top of the tide," said Joanne Sherwood, from Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

"We think this is serious and we've had our teams out and about checking defences making sure things are in good working order," she told BBC Radio Wales.

The severe flood warnings - the highest category of warning meaning life and property are at risk - are in place for:
  • Point of Ayr the community of Talacre from the gas terminal to Tyn y Morfa, Flintshire
  • Greenfield to Bagillt, Flintshire
  • Usk Estuary at Crindau and Malpas Road Area, Newport
  • Barmouth - the Promenade and properties around the Harbour, and Heol Llywelyn and Heol y Llan in Gwynedd
"The fact that this has been issued needs to be taken seriously," stressed Ch Supt Jeremy Vaughan, who is leading the response in Barmouth.

"People living in the affected areas need to heed the warning and make arrangements now to secure their own safety."

On Friday morning Insp Mark Armstrong from North Wales Police tweeted a warning for people not to use the north end of Barmouth promenade as the strong tidal surge was throwing rocks onto the road.

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Aberaeron harbour in Ceredigion an hour before high tide on Friday morning
Properties at risk are on the seafront at the harbour and Heol Llywelyn and Heol y Llan.

In Monmouthshire, the council said it was closing the A466 at Tintern for 20 minutes each side of the high tide, which is expected at 09:00.

"The combination of high tides, flood water, high winds and forecasted tidal surge in the Severn, together with low pressure, means that properties may be at risk of flood," said Roger Hoggins, head of operations at Monmouthshire council.

"Therefore, on Friday morning we will be sandbagging vulnerable properties prior to closing the road."
Tide times around Wales

Newport - 8:19 am and 8:44 pm
Cardiff - 8:11 am and 8:36 pm
Porthcawl - 07:29 am and 7:54pm
Swansea - 7:26 am and 7:50 pm
Carmarthen (River Towy) 7:20 am and 7:45 pm.
Milford Haven - 7:20 am and 7:45 pm
Aberystwyth - 8:56 am and 9:17 pm
Barmouth - 9:19 am and 9:42 pm
Pwllheli - 09:00 am and 09:24 pm
Holyhead - 11:23 am and 11:54 pm
Conwy - 11:49 am and half past midnight on Saturday
Mostyn Docks, Flintshire - 11:59 am
The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for wind which remains in force until midnight on Friday.

Meteorological officer Charlie Powell told Radio Wales: "We've already seen gusts of up to 70mph across some exposed western parts of Wales and it's the wind that's going to be the crux of this next batch of severe weather.

"From now really until 9am we can expect to see tides peaking as we go from south to north and as these strong winds coincide with those high tides and push that water it gives really high waves and that just increases the risk of coastal flooding.

"It's relatively rare to see all these things combining at exactly the same time and it's exactly why these risks are so high this time."

He added that the hills and mountains of Wales will be worst hit by the winds.