Two recently-rebuilt roads in Rabat and Balzan were flooded as a result of “overflowing sewers” and “blocked catchments”, according to the Infrastructure Ministry.

A sudden downpour on Wednesday soon resulted in flooding in some areas in the north of the island, notably Gorg Borg Olivier Street in Rabat and Valley Road in Balzan.

Footage of overflowing culverts made the rounds on social media, especially since the two roads had both undergone extensive works in recent months.

In comments to Times of Malta, a ministry spokesperson dismissed claims that the flooding was a result of the road works not being up to par.

“The agency dispatched its architects and technicians to investigate the two roads immediately. In Valley Road, flooding was not caused by rainwater, but by overflowing sewers, which are not connected, or in any way related, to the road’s new stormwater catchments and pipelines.

“Infrastructure Malta immediately alerted the entity responsible for the operation and maintenance of the country’s sewage network to look into yesterday’s overflow,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said that when Infrastructure Malta rebuilt Gorg Borg Olivier Street in 2019, it also upgraded the existing stormwater system with improved catchments and new pipelines.

“Wednesday’s flooding occurred in a short stretch of this road and lasted for a few minutes until all water was drained through the new stormwater system.

The agency dispatched its architects and technicians to investigate the two roads immediately

“The agency’s architects checked the stormwater system and found that one of the catchments in the area where the flooding was reported had been blocked with debris and waste from the same street, impeding its flow,” she said.

The water drained through the catchment as soon as the rain stopped. All other catchments that are part of the same system were checked and found to be functioning. “Infrastructure Malta engaged contractors to remove the waste that gathered in the affected catchment,” the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, on another area where flooding was reported – Louis Wettinger Road, known as the Mellieħa bypass – the ministry said it did not receive any reports.

“A video shared on social media actually shows rainwater flowing towards the new stormwater system installed in this road a few months ago, to improve the road’s pre-existing surface runoff system.

“The video was filmed during the storm itself and confirms that the road’s alignment is adequately directing rainwater towards the new catchments, where it was draining to the underlying pipeline without any difficulty.”

Retaining wall collapses

The upper part of Saqqajja Hill, in Rabat, has been closed to traffic after a retaining wall collapsed during Wednesday’s storm.

Several parts of Malta experienced unseasonal downpour on Wednesday morning and afternoon as well as a drop in temperature.

Infrastructure Malta said its architects and technicians were investigating the collapse of the retaining wall.

Part of Saqqajja Hill road, where it merges with Nikola Saura Street, will be closed until repairs are done.