Huge sinkhole suddenly emerges in Welsh road leaving locals without water
Huge sinkhole suddenly emerges in Welsh road leaving locals without water
Residents in the area have been left without water while the road is likely to remain closed until the end of the week
This was the scene at the road at Pontsticill on Tuesday following the caving in of the road due to a burst water pipe
(Image: Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council )
A huge sinkhole emerged in Merthyr Tydfil county borough following a burst water pipe. Merthyr Tydfil council officers and workers from Dwr Cymru Welsh Water rushed to the scene on Tuesday morning following the burst pipe near Penygarn at Pontsticill which had led to the road surface on the main route through the village caving in.
Video footage taken on Tuesday morning showed water spraying from the pipe at the site of the new sinkhole while some locals reported they had no water at a community meeting held at Pontsticill's memorial hall on Tuesday evening.
In response to the new sinkhole at Pontsticill the council allowed vehicles to use the Pant road at Ffynnon Dwyn between Brecon Mountain Railway and the water treatment works, which has been closed since November following two landslips on the road which occurred during Storm Bert.
Drone footage from the site on Wednesday showed the sinkhole being filled in by council officers at the scene
(Image: John Myers )
One resident said on Tuesday: 'The Pant road has been closed for five months with nothing happening. This morning a burst pipe at Penygarn has formed a huge sinkhole and closed the road to Cefncoed.
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'The only access to the village is now by the Clyn single track road. The council are opening the Pant road this evening (Tuesday evening) with traffic lights. A road that was too dangerous to walk on yesterday is okay to drive on today.'
Following the fixing of the pipe the road through Pontsticill remained closed
(Image: John Myers )
The council is using a traffic light system at the Pant road temporarily to ensure the route is safe to navigate while the road at Pontsticill is closed for ongoing works.
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In a statement the council said the road at Pant is safe to use due to the current period of dry weather. "This is a temporary diversion with two-way traffic lights and has been deemed safe to use in the short term following inspections and due to the warm, dry weather," the statement reads.
Drone footage from the Pontsticill site on Wednesday showed the sinkhole being filled in by council officers at the scene following the fixing of the pipe while the road through Pontsticill remains closed.
Councillor Lisa Mytton said on Wednesday afternoon that water has been reinstated and the road at Penygarn will hopefully be open by Friday evening.
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