Residents begin the clean-up in Gwaelod-y-Garth on Friday after floodwater and thick mud swept through the village following an incident at the nearby Breedon quarry(Image: John Myers)

Devastating scale of damage in Welsh village after quarry blast flooding

by · Wales Online

More than a dozen homeowners in the quiet village of Gwaelod-y-Garth have begun the heartbreaking task of salvaging their homes after a sudden torrent of water tore through the community following a quarry blast on Thursday afternoon.

Homes were left wrecked, roads buried beneath thick mud and debris, and families forced to flee after floodwater surged through Heol Berry and Heol y Nant just minutes after an explosion at the nearby Taff's Well Quarry, operated by Breedon Group.

Residents described the blast, which happened on Thursday, July 30, as feeling "like an earthquake" before water came gushing through the village, inundating homes and gardens in a matter of moments.

Breedon confirmed the flooding followed a "planned blast" at the quarry and said it would be carrying out an investigation into exactly what happened.

As daylight broke on Friday, the scale of the destruction became painfully clear. Streets remained coated in thick mud, leaves and debris carried in by the floodwater, while waterlogged gardens and ruined ground floors stood as a stark reminder of how quickly the peaceful village was turned upside down.

The flooding affected 15 properties, with Cardiff Council confirming that 13 homes were evacuated by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service on Thursday evening. Housing officers have since been supporting those affected, with emergency accommodation arranged for one family overnight.

For many residents, the emotional toll has been made even harder by the fact that some homeowners were not there when disaster struck. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here

Neighbours have spent hours making difficult phone calls to people enjoying holidays or simply out running errands, informing them that the homes they left behind have been devastated.

One resident said: "A lot of my neighbours are on holidays. I have had to contact one of them who's actually a firefighter and away in France. Another is in Italy. Another elderly couple had been out shopping when it happened.

"We had to just ring around and explain to people what had happened, because when they come home it'll be a massive shock. Heartbreaking."

While the clean-up operation is now underway, many residents now face weeks - if not months - of repairs and uncertainty as they come to terms with the damage left behind by Thursday's devatating flood.

Quarry operator Breedon stated that the flooding occurred following a "planned blast" at the quarry near the village, they added that it will be carrying out an investigation into what happened(Image: John Myers/WalesOnline)
A number of homes have been left devastated following a flood in the quaint village of Gwaelod-y-Garth. A local claimed that the blasts at Breedon quarry have been getting "a lot more violent"(Image: John Myers)
Speaking on the basis of anonymity, the local added: "It was like an earthquake. We do expect the quarry blasts quite regularly but normally we hear a siren but today there was no siren"(Image: John Myers)