Landslide villagers fear mountain could come down

Work crews digging out from a landslide during Storm Bert on Sunday

In a village hit by a coal tip landslide, there is fear the mountain might come down on them every time there is a storm.

Torrential rain from Storm Bert forced people to flee their homes in Cwmtillery, Blaenau Gwent, after a river of slurry and debris swept through the streets.

Ingrid Sourbutts, 70, said the resulting chaos made her think back to the Aberfan disaster in 1966, when a coal tip swept through the village near Merthyr Tydfil, killing 144 people, including 116 children.

Blaenau Gwent council said it was working towards the safe return of people to their homes.

"It reminds us that underneath some of the green hills round here black coal tips are there... we've got to be really careful," Mrs Sourbutts said.

She said people should "not to have to worry that every time we have a storm that the mountain might come down on them".

Isla, 17, who lives in Cwmtillery - which is part of Abertillery - described how she "saw an entire river coming down the hill".

"I ran down the stairs to tell my parents... they said it was coming through the front door."

Her family, she said, was left running around their home desperately trying to move valuables upstairs as the water poured in.

"I went into task mode... it was when we were evacuated I thought, 'now I have to start processing it'," she added.

Their home now has a line of mud on the walls where the water reached its highest point.

A cafe run by the community interest company Pentref Tyleri was open on Tuesday, offering hot drinks and meals to those affected.

Manager Jamie Thomas said it was important "people did not feel alone at this time".

Remedial work "well underway" in Cwmtillery, where contractors could be seen working on Tuesday

"We've had plenty of people coming down here," he said.

"This may be the first warm meal that they have had since the accident."

The damage could have been much worse, he said, if the Welsh government environment body Natural Resources Wales had not restored a wetland in the area.

"We have more funding to hopefully make more of these wetland areas, these will hopefully hold more water and stop these incidents happening again," he added.

The council said the clean up and remedial work in the village was "well under way".

"Our focus is on recovery and working towards a safe return for the residents who have been evacuated."

The council said it was in direct contact with evacuees and was helping them with accommodation and other needs.

"Our advice remains that they do not return to their homes at the present time, although we are managing requests to collect essentials where appropriate."