Mopping up in Gwynedd villages Policeman killed in car crash

Pembrokeshire and Gwynedd were worst hit, with 18in (45cm) floodwater in Haverfordwest, while Milford Haven saw over a month's rain in 24 hours.

By Wednesday afternoon there were four flood watches for south west Wales.

Forecasters said wet weather in the north and west during the afternoon could mean more local flooding.

The Met Office warned of more heavy rain in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Gwynedd, Anglesey, Pembrokeshire and Swansea.

Forecasters said driving would be dangerous at times, with another 2 - 4cm (0.8 - 1.5 in) rain falling.

FLOOD WATCHES Rivers in south west Wales between Carmarthen and Llantwit Major Rivers in south west Wales between Clarach Bay, north of Aberystwyth, and Carmarthen River Western Cleddau at Haverfordwest Rivers Taf and Gronw at Whitland

BBC weather man Liam Dutton said the rain would clear to the east later, and it would be fine and dry on Thursday.

On Wednesday afternoon the Environment Agency had four flood watches in force.

North Wales Fire Service were called to 28 different incidents on Tuesday night, 12 of them inside properties, such as garages.

Mid and West Wales Fire Service was pumping water from the cellar of the Ship Inn in Solva during Wednesday.

Some schools were shut, but both Broad Haven Primary and the infant section of Prendergast primary in Haverfordwest will reopen as normal on Thursday.

People have pulled together and are working together Rev Paul Davies

At the height of the flooding, fire crews in Pembrokeshire dealt with 50 separate incidents, and 100 council workers were called out to help place sandbags at properties.

Parts of Haverfordwest town centre were badly hit, while properties in Newport, Solva and Dinas Cross were pumped out by fire crews.

'Forces of nature'

The vicar of Solva, Rev Paul Davies, said: "It has shocked everybody and has happened very swiftly.

"People have pulled together and are working together to support each other and do all they can against the forces of nature."

A number of side roads became impassable.

Firefighter Nikki Shedden was one of those helping to pump out 12 homes that were flooded in the village.

"They did call in a diving crew from Haverfordwest mainly as a precaution," she said.

"We've been helping to pump out the houses and just get the water back into the river and out of the way."

Cardiff Met Office said Milford Haven had a total of 113.8mm of rain in 24 hours, compared to the monthly average of 110mm.

In north Wales, the A499 Pwllheli to Llanbedrog road was closed on Wednesday, while overnight around 20 properties were flooded at Groeslon, near Caernarfon.

North and west Wales were among the worst hit areas of the UK, with south-west Scotland and Cumbria also badly affected.

Anyone concerned about flooding in their area can call the Environment Agency's 24-hour floodline on 0845 988 1188.