Flood follows quarry blast
More than a dozen homeowners in the quiet village of Gwaelod-y-Garth have begun the task of salvaging their homes after a torrent of water tore through the community on Thursday afternoon. The flooding struck Heol Berry and Heol y Nant just minutes after an explosion at the nearby Taff's Well Quarry, operated by Breedon Group.
Residents described the blast, which happened on Thursday, July 30, as feeling "like an earthquake" before water came gushing through the village, inundating homes and gardens in a matter of moments. Breedon confirmed the flooding followed a "planned blast" at the quarry and said it would be carrying out an investigation into exactly what happened.
Homes evacuated
As daylight broke on Friday, the scale of the destruction became clear. Streets remained coated in thick mud, leaves and debris carried in by the floodwater, while waterlogged gardens and ruined ground floors stood as a reminder of how quickly the village was turned upside down.
The flooding affected 15 properties, with Cardiff Council confirming that 13 homes were evacuated by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service on Thursday evening. Housing officers have since been supporting those affected, with emergency accommodation arranged for one family overnight.
'Like an earthquake'
Some homeowners were not there when disaster struck. One resident said: "A lot of my neighbours are on holidays. I have had to contact one of them who's actually a firefighter and away in France. Another is in Italy. Another elderly couple had been out shopping when it happened.
"We had to just ring around and explain to people what had happened, because when they come home it'll be a massive shock. Heartbreaking."
A local, speaking anonymously, claimed the blasts at the quarry have been getting "a lot more violent". They added: "It was like an earthquake. We do expect the quarry blasts quite regularly but normally we hear a siren but today there was no siren."
Clean-up under way
Cardiff Council stated that significant damage has been caused to the highway, with mud, silt, debris and other obstructions continuing to block access to motorists. Roads were closed as emergency services dealt with the flood, and Highways and Cleansing teams have been working on site to clear roads and remove debris.
The force of the water brought trees crashing down, and one of the areas hit by huge amounts of debris was the council-owned sports pitches in the village, regularly used by hundreds of children who play for Gwaelod Rangers. Residents, emergency services and partner agencies have come together to clear away the debris and mud.
While the clean-up operation is now underway, many residents face weeks - if not months - of repairs and uncertainty as they come to terms with the damage left behind by Thursday's devastating flood.
