Road collapse in St.Paul's Bay
A week ago, a nasty incident left two women buried under the rubble when a building collapsed in St. Paul's Bay. A site was being excavated next door. The reason for the collapse has yet to be investigated.
Yesterday afternoon, two wardens were diverting traffic from the direction of Xemxija going towards Veccja, and asking motorists to take the bypass. The road a bit further uphill past Veccja restaurant was collapsing..........yet again.
The problem started last year when an old building was torn down to make way for an apartment block. The obvious happened when all the buildings further uphill and across the road exerted too much pressure down the clay slopes and onto the road, which then, as now, was already excavated and exposed along the other side. A thick wall was built to counter this downward pressure, however one year on this wall is also giving in.
Yet a couple of years earlier, part of the bypass also collapsed, and indeed a section of it is today still reduced to one lane. A massive excavation further down the hill and opposite the sea, had also left the bypass unsupported along the seaward side. Again the clay slopes along the otherside pushed down under the whole road, and the seaward side collapsed.
Still contractors and architects shoulder on and apply for yet more building permits to be issued. The excavations are then left exposed for long periods, and the same story repeats itself. Court action and decisions depending on the outcome languish for years, and the damage remains.
On Monday 14th. the road will be closed yet again for repair.
Yesterday afternoon, two wardens were diverting traffic from the direction of Xemxija going towards Veccja, and asking motorists to take the bypass. The road a bit further uphill past Veccja restaurant was collapsing..........yet again.
The problem started last year when an old building was torn down to make way for an apartment block. The obvious happened when all the buildings further uphill and across the road exerted too much pressure down the clay slopes and onto the road, which then, as now, was already excavated and exposed along the other side. A thick wall was built to counter this downward pressure, however one year on this wall is also giving in.
Yet a couple of years earlier, part of the bypass also collapsed, and indeed a section of it is today still reduced to one lane. A massive excavation further down the hill and opposite the sea, had also left the bypass unsupported along the seaward side. Again the clay slopes along the otherside pushed down under the whole road, and the seaward side collapsed.
Still contractors and architects shoulder on and apply for yet more building permits to be issued. The excavations are then left exposed for long periods, and the same story repeats itself. Court action and decisions depending on the outcome languish for years, and the damage remains.
On Monday 14th. the road will be closed yet again for repair.
The road infront of Veccja in St Paul's Bay just collapsed - it looks like it is connected to the building works going on at the seafront. The road is closed.
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