Chadwick Lakes Road Collapse Caused By Build Up Of Water Pressure From Rain, Energy And Water Agency Says
A road running through Chadwick Lakes which collapsed yesterday is likely the result of pressure caused by a dam resulting from the large amount of rainfall witnessed in Malta in recent days.
In a statement yesterday, the Energy and Water Agency (EWA) noted that the road in question was located on the edge of the valley and consisted of an old structure constructed on clay soil.
The presence of a dam meant that a large quantity of water was collected in the valley, EWA said, adding that preliminary investigations had indicated that the collapse was the result of two main factors, both of which were related to the recent days’ rainfall.
“The first is the effect of the water that built up behind the dam, which applied pressure to the base of the valley’s walls, as well as the effect of rainwater draining along the soil surface, leading to its expansion and the application of outward pressure on the same wall,” EWA said.
The two “opposing forces” were likely the main cause of the road’s collapse.
EWA said it had requested Infrastructure Malta’s assistance in closing the road, urging members of the public to avoid the area until repair works have been carried out.
In this regard, the agency said it was in talks with the Environment and Resources Authority to plot a way forward.
Responding to Lovin Malta’s queries yesterday, Infrastructure Malta noted that the collapsed road fell within the remit of the EWA.
The EWA recently carried out some restoration works in the area, including work on fences and rubble walls, as well as the clearing of debris from the valley bed.
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