River of sewage in Naxxar

A river of thick sewage flowed down the hill between Naxxar and Lija yesterday because of a blockage in a manhole.

The blocked manhole is located in Triq id-Dejqa, Naxxar.

The resulting smell was so bad it even reached Birkirkara.

The Water Services Corporation said servicemen removed a considerable amount of straw that clogged the sewage system in the area. Simon Alden, a resident, said: "It was sickening. The sewage was ankle deep in the area where the overflow started".

The sewage first started flowing between 1.30 and 2 p.m. and continued do so for hours.

The corporation said that until the pipes were cleared, the sewage was diverted. The streets were also washed. It appealed to the public not to dump material into the system and to immediately report anyone doing so.