THERE were four landslides in Merthyr Tydfil as a result of Storm Bert, the council has confirmed.
In its most recent update since the storm struck on November 23 and 24, the council said four landslips occurred with two in Pontsticill, one in Pontsarn and one in Quaker’s Yard.
The section of Cardiff Road in Quaker’s Yard where the landslip occurred is currently closed while the council carries out repair works.
The council said it will reopen the road as soon as it is safe to do so and it anticipates works to be complete in around one week.
“We would like to remind residents that the road is closed for safety reasons and people and vehicles must stay outside of the closure and not attempt to pass,” the council said.
In Ponsticill/Pontsarn, the landslip sites are currently being assessed and the affected roads will remain closed until the areas can be made safe.
The council said it will provide a further update once assessments have been completed.
It said: “We understand the frustration and inconvenience caused by these road closures and subsequent traffic issues.
“Our top priority is the safety and well-being of the public, which is why we cannot compromise on this matter. We assure you that we are working to open the roads as quickly as possible.”
The council said it is aware of over 70 properties that have been affected by flooding. The local authority is offering financial support to those affected by the flooding caused by Storm Bert with each affected household and business receiving £1,000.
Welsh Government has also announced that they will fund local authorities to provide grants of £1000 for households without insurance cover, or £500 to affected households with existing insurance cover.
The council has set up a support hub at Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre cafe for people to access information and advice during this recovery period. It is also offering free bulky item collections for anyone affected by the flooding and there are teams out offering support, with people knocking doors in the areas worst affected.
Before the storm, the council had road sweepers clearing leaves off gullies on all main routes and cleared as many trash screens as possible on culverts up to a week before the storm. It also had a gully sucker clearing the gullies in areas that have been problematic in recent years while there were regular inspections by structural engineers and standby officers.
The council has issued over 4,000 sandbags to properties that were deemed most at risk.
