There are more than 72,000 undefended properties at risk of surface level flooding, according to the National Infrastructure Commission of Wales.

In its recently published report - Building Resilience to Flooding in Wales by 2050 - NICW said the number of undefended properties was set to rise to 96,436 during the next century as the effects of climate change worsen.

To tackle this, the report presents bold but practical recommendations for Welsh Ministers to future-proof the whole of Wales against the growing risks of flooding over the next 25-plus years.

Outlining 17 recommendations within a Future Flooding Framework for Wales, the report emphasises natural solutions.

Eluned Parrott, lead commissioner on the project, said: “As part of our work, we visited some of the communities who have been affected by flooding in recent years.

"The impacts felt have been devastating, but we also learned that these communities are not content to be passive victims and are ready to act.

“What’s more, during the 18 months that we’ve been working on this project, it has become increasingly clear that we cannot 'concrete' our way out of the risks we face.

"We must adopt more holistic solutions, such as restoring the natural environment’s ability to store water higher in river catchments, and empowering local communities to take action.”

Dr Eurgain Powell, lead commissioner, said: “Although flooding can have a devastating effect on people’s lives, awareness of flood risk; how to access information; and what actions local governance and real people need to take to respond to flooding, remains very low.

“To resolve this, our work has shown that we need a different approach — one that works with people and nature to drive real change.

"Ultimately, we believe that success will be driven by good communication and a shared responsibility and sense of urgency between government, business and communities.

“We hope the findings of this report will empower communities to voice and act on their own futures, with the support of Welsh Government — to ensure a resilient, dynamic, and abundant future for generations to come.”