A massive sinkhole in Merthyr Tydfil has raised safety concerns, prompting extensive engineering efforts to secure the area and reassure residents.
Merthyr Tydfil: So, there was this huge sinkhole that popped up in Wales, right? It swallowed part of a road and even a driveway belonging to Love Island star Liam Reardon during Storm Bert on December 1. They had to evacuate about 30 homes because of it.
This sinkhole just kept getting bigger, reaching a depth of 40 feet! It made headlines everywhere, even on Fox News in the U.S. People were freaking out, worried that more sinkholes might show up in their neighborhoods.
We chatted with a civil engineer who’s been working hard to make the area safe. He reassured everyone that this kind of thing doesn’t just happen randomly under their homes.
Paul Edwards, the managing director of Edwards Diving Services, explained that they often team up with local authorities to prevent sinkholes and fix culverts. They also help police find missing people, which is pretty cool.
Paul and his team got involved right away, checking out the area on the Nant Morlais estate. They started temporary work to secure the sinkhole. It all began when a landslide during the storm sent big rocks down an underground stream, which messed up the supporting structure and washed away the soil above.
He said they had to clear out a big Victorian culvert that collapsed because of the storm. They used a remote-controlled vehicle to dig it out and then put in a large steel pipe to connect both ends of the culvert.
After that, they poured concrete into the sinkhole and added a ton of stone on top. This temporary fix should keep things safe for about ten years, but they’re working on a permanent solution that should start in January.
Paul mentioned that the temporary work is strong enough to handle any storms for now. They’ll be driving piles into the ground and rebuilding the culvert, which is about ten meters long. The permanent fix is expected to last around 100 years.
While they don’t have a specific date for the permanent work yet, Paul assured residents that the area is safe for now. He also calmed any fears about sinkholes, saying it’s pretty rare for something this big to happen.
He explained that, especially in Wales, there are a lot of covered streams that can become culverts. While sinkholes can happen, they usually don’t occur on such a large scale.
Local authorities keep an eye on culverts, checking them regularly for any issues. If there’s a problem, they fix it before it turns into a sinkhole. So, folks shouldn’t worry too much about sinkholes popping up unexpectedly.
Paul expressed gratitude for the patience of the residents during this stressful time. He said it’s been touching to work with them, especially since there’s been a lot of misinformation floating around on social media.
He thanked everyone involved in the repairs, saying they’ve all worked hard to tackle this unique challenge. Despite the stress, they managed to secure a house that was at risk of being swallowed by the sinkhole.
Paul reassured everyone that the sinkhole is safe and that they’ll be working on a permanent fix soon. There might be some disruption in January, but it’ll all be worth it in the end.