‘Landslide could have been fatal’
A ROAD remained closed yesterday after back gardens collapsed on to it in a landslide that people living there say would have killed anyone walking below.
The gardens, complete with sheds, benches and flowerpots, collapsed at about 8pm on Friday after a day of heavy rain – and the back walls of the affected houses were very close to the land that fell away.
The road beneath the landslide – Tramroad Side South – is blocked by large amounts of rubble, earth, a shed and other debris. It is a one-way street but traffic was coping well yesterday.
Alan Williams, one of the residents of Hampton Street, Merthyr Tydfil, whose garden collapsed, said that if people had been below when it happened, they would have died.
The 74-year-old said: “I was upstairs at about 8pm and I heard a loud rumbling sound.
“I went downstairs to have a look at what was going on because it was really loud, and by the time I got there the wall and about four yards of the garden had collapsed onto the road.
“We only have about two yards of garden left. It happened quickly, within about 20 seconds. By the time I had got to the garden, most of it had gone. If there had been anyone walking below the garden, or driving down, they would have been killed. There’s loads of mud, rocks and a tin shed.
“It’s a busy road, lots of people walk and drive down there. Someone could have easily been walking there when it happened.”
Mr Williams, who has lived in the house with his wife Gwyneth for 41 years, said there have been landslides before, but not to this extent.
“We’ve had little bits of mud fall down, but never like this,” he added.
“But with all the rain and traffic that goes down the road, I’m not surprised there has been movement.”
South Wales Police arrived at the scene shortly after 8pm and closed the road to traffic and pedestrians. It’s believed nobody was injured.
Neil Marshall, whose parents live in Hampton Street and whose garden was affected, added: “I received a phone call at about 9pm saying that the wall had gone.
“I didn’t believe what people were saying, so I came to have a look and I couldn’t believe the actual wall had collapsed onto the tram road,” he said. “Late last night we couldn’t see much, but we could see some little movement in the house.
“We inspected it this morning and we can see there is extensive damage to the extension, there are cracks inside the house and the retaining wall.”