Wales sinkhole filled in as residents 'allowed home for Christmas'
Families in 30 properties on the Nant Morlais cul-de-sac in Pant, Merthyr Tydfil, were evacuated when the 60ft hole emerged right outside their homes.
Watch: Giant Wales sinkhole repaired ‘in time for families to return home for Christmas’
A huge engineering job to patch up a massive sinkhole in Wales has finally been completed – allowing residents to return home just in time for Christmas.
Families in 30 properties on the Nant Morlais cul-de-sac in Pant, Merthyr Tydfil, were evacuated when the 60ft hole emerged right outside their homes at the start of December. Some were forced to live with family members while workmen got to work on repairing an underground culvert fitting a six-foot pipe to help with overflowing water before they started to fill in the hole.
Giant boulders were trucked to the site and placed inside with a JCB in a bid to firm it up. The surface is set to be laid with tarmac and made good as families make their way home from stays in hotels, AirBnBs or with relatives.
Speaking last week, Brent Carter, leader of Merthyr Tydfil council said: “Residents have been fantastic and really supportive. Everyone is desperate to come home for Christmas. The site is as secure as it possibly can be. The culvert is in very good shape. Everything is looking good.”
Grandparents Sheila and Meurig Price were one of the first couples to return home after spending 10 days at their daughter's house. Another of the houses closest to the hole belonged to Love Island star Liam Reardon, whose family were told “apparently it is going to be knocked down”.
Describing how quickly the sinkhole emerged, he told the 'Liam and Millie' podcast, he said: “The day before I had driven over that area where the sinkhole appeared about 11am. The tarmac hadn't broken at that point.
‘Our front gate and wall disappeared’
“Got a call at 2pm that afternoon to say there was a small sinkhole at the end of our drive. From there it got worse and worse. We were in the house on Sunday morning having breakfast then all of a sudden our front gate and wall disappeared. You could hear the thumping of the road disappearing.“
Merthyr Tydfil Council said a six-foot steel pipe was inserted into the culvert to support overflow water going into it.
A spokeswoman said: “Utilities have been restored to some properties, so those residents have been allowed to move safely back into their homes today.
“We are working with utility companies to restore supplies to the remaining properties once the hole is filled, and when this is done the remaining residents will also be able to safely move back home. We anticipate this to be at some point next week.”
What causes sinkholes and how often do they appear in the UK?
Sinkholes occur when the ground collapses as a result of water seeping into it over time, a process known as karst erosion. This creates underground voids that can cause the ground above to suddenly collapse.
Other causes include natural subsidence, human activities like mining, or the draining of underground water sources.
It is difficult to put a figure on the number of sinkholes in the UK due to the fact that may are not reported or documented.
However, figures from a British Geological Survey in 2022 suggested there were as many as 10,000 listed at the time.
Areas such as the Peak District, the Cotswolds, and parts of Yorkshire are more prone to them. While large, destructive sinkholes are uncommon, smaller ones can occasionally appear, often causing disruption to infrastructure or property.
How are sinkholes repaired?
Repairing a sinkhole involves a multi-step process that begins with a detailed assessment to determine the size, cause, and potential risks associated with the collapse.
Safety measures are put in place to secure the surrounding area, often including the closure of nearby roads or the evacuation of structures that may be at risk. Once the site is deemed safe, the next step is to fill the void created by the sinkhole.
The type of material used depends on the depth and cause of the sinkhole, with common fill materials including gravel, soil, or cement. For sinkholes caused by the dissolution of limestone or gypsum, grout or a special slurry mix is often injected into the cavity to prevent further erosion and provide additional stability.
After the sinkhole is filled, the surface is restored to its original condition. This may involve repaving roads, repairing pavements, or rebuilding damaged infrastructure such as drainage systems or foundations. If the sinkhole occurred in a natural area, landscaping or replanting may also be required.
Finally, to prevent future occurrences, the area is often monitored for signs of further subsidence. This may involve the installation of sensors or regular inspections to ensure the ground remains stable. In some cases, additional measures, such as reinforcing underground water channels or rerouting drainage systems, may be necessary to address the underlying causes of the sinkhole.
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