Council confirms Storm Bert landslide was not coal tip

Emily Price

A Welsh council has confirmed that a landslide which collapsed onto a road in south Wales during Storm Bert was not from a disused coal tip.

Tree roots, sludge and rocks cascaded down onto Cardiff Road in Merthyr Tydfil on Sunday after torrential rain battered large parts of the country.

Since then, the A4054 between the villages of Merthyr Vale and Quakers Yard has remained closed while engineers carry out repairs.

Fears

In Blaenau Gwent, an unsafe disused coal tip sent a terrifying landslide of slurry down onto residential street.

Fears were raised that the landslide in Merthyr Tydfil also came from a disused coal mine that had become unsafe.

But Merthyr Tydfil Council confirmed on Wednesday that the slip was the result of a “burst sewer main”.

Repairs

Treharris Councillor Gareth Richards says that whilst the risk of further landslides remains high, the road cannot be reopened.

Merthyr Council says that residents living in the area are safe as long as they “stay outside of the road closure and do not attempt to pass”.

A spokesperson said: “The section of road where the landslip occurred is currently closed while we carry out repair works.

“We will reopen the road as soon as it is safe to do so. We anticipate works to be complete in around one week.

“We would like to remind residents that the road is closed for safety reasons and people and vehicles must stay outside of the closure and not attempt to pass.”

Grants

Around 70 properties were flooded during Storm Bert at the weekend after the River Taff breached its bank at several locations in the town.

Aberfan Community Centre was opened as a hub for people who were forced to evacuate their homes.

The local authority says £1000 grants have been made available to those affected by the flooding.