EMERGENCY services are being praised in the aftermath of devastating floods which hit Anglesey and Gwynedd on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

Although things are starting to get back to normal, amid major mopping up and pumping operations, some roads remain waterlogged.

There are still traffic diversions in place and some shops and businesses remain closed.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service received more than 250 flood related calls on Wednesday night when heavy downpours struck the region.

Some of the areas worst affected were Beaumaris, Llangefni, Menai Bridge, Rhosneigr, Bangor, Caernarfon and Pwllheli.

Firefighters worked through the night pumping water from Beaumaris Castle’s moat after it began to overflow as water gushed along Castle Street.

A torrent swept along Mill Lane and water cascaded down Red Hill. The town centre was closed whilst some residents in Mill Lane were evacuated.

The A545 between Beaumaris and Glyngarth remains closed to traffic, after water flooded across the road causing a landslide to crash into the Menai Strait.

The Mayor of Beaumaris Frank Carr said it was “some of the worst flooding” he had seen but praised emergency services.

“It was awful, we were out until the early hours. I have never seen water like it rushing down Mill Lane in a torrent, and down Red Hill, it was shifting boulders and rocks. Some people had to be evacuated. It was bucketing down.”

“The town’s flood wardens did a fantastic job as well as the emergency services, the fire crews and the lads from the lifeboat, they all worked through the night to the pump water and put out the sandbags and helped people.

The Afon Cefni, a river on Anglesey, burst its banks following hours of torrential rain. causing wide-spread disruption.

Flood-hit Llangefni residents are still coping with the aftermath of a torrent of up to six feet deep which swept through the town centre swamping businesses and homes.

Mayor of Llangefni Councillor Dylan Rees said: “I’ve lived in Llangefni for nearly 40 years and I’ve never seen anything like the flooding that hit Llangefni Town Centre that night.

“I would like to thank the Police, Fire Service and the County Council Highways Department in responding so quickly to this sudden crisis. They did a fantastic job to ensure no-one got injured and also in trying to minimise the damage caused by the flooding.

Sadly a number of local businesses and private properties have been affected by the floods and our priority must now be to do what we can to help them get back to normal as soon as possible.”

The following roads are now passable with care: the A5025 Pentraeth to Four Crosses; B5420 Penmynydd Road; B5108 Brynteg to Benllech and B5110 Benllech to Marianglas.

The following roads are still closed: A5 Pentre Berw, A4080 Station Road, Rhosneigr A545 Glyn Garth near Beaumaris. Roads that have opened with traffic lights: B5109 Beaumaris to Llangoed.

Rail services between Bangor and Holyhead are set to be disrupted until next week following flood damage to tracks.

Lines between Bangor and Holyhead remain closed due flooding and urgent repair work is being carried out after landslips at Gaerwen.