Huge 50ft sinkhole appears on Merthyr housing estate as homes evacuated

Residents have been told to avoid the area after a large sinkhole appeared on a housing estate in Merthyr Tydfil.

The sinkhole opened up on Sunday, 1 December, at Nant Morlais, Pant, leading to 30 homes being evacuated.

The sinkhole was caused by a collapsed culvert – a structure which allows water to flow under roads and railways.

The sinkhole has continued to expand, with further cracks appearing in the road surface, Merthyr Tydfil Council's leader has said.

Evacuated resident Delyth Mitchel told ITV Cymru Wales: "It’s not just a house to us, it’s a home. We’ve been here 35 years since it was built, had some lovely times. Racing around in the morning was one thing but shutting that door was emotional."

John Mitchell, 76, whose home sits near the edge of the sinkhole, told PA news agency: “It is frightening, you don’t know what will happen with the water going under there and washing everything away.

"I came home and the whole of the bit there was barricaded off, and the hole just gradually got worse and worse as it was opening up. I couldn’t see down to the bottom, but it was a good depth, it was really quite deep."

Merthyr Tydfil Council leader Brent Carter said: "It seems to be getting bigger, there’s more cracks coming across the road and into walls and gardens."

He added that two landslides which recently occurred further up the mountain had caused stone to come down and come crashing straight through the culvert. While Councillor Carter said he hoped residents would be back in their homes by Christmas, he said he could not give a timeline for how long it would take for remediation works to be completed.

He added that they hope to block off the water and then the culvert could be inspected and remediation work can be completed. He thanked the residents who have been evacuated for their understanding.

He continued: "(On Sunday) we were trying to get people out of their homes and into temporary accommodation – to pack a bag all within 15 minutes’ notice, it’s traumatic, I’ve got every sympathy for them, it’s a terrible time.

"Our team and the officers of the council, as well as external agencies, are moving heaven and earth to ensure everything is put back into place as soon as possible, but obviously safety is paramount."

Concerns about the culvert have been raised in the past and he said it is inspected every two years to try to ensure something like this does not happen. He added that more frequent inspections may be considered going forward.

In a statement, Merthyr Tydfil Council previously warned residents to stay away from the area.

"Council officers and police have been onsite at Nant Morlais, Pant, working with other agencies at the site of a sinkhole," the statement said. "No further help or support is needed at this time but thank you to everyone who has offered it. Safety is our main priority. To allow engineers to keep working safely, please stay away from the area."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know...