Undertaker claims damages for coffins battered by floods

An undertaker yesterday claimed that inaction and irresponsible planning were to blame for losses he incurred when flood waters extensively damaged his stores two years ago.

The incident hit the headlines on August 25, 2010, when part of his large stock of coffins was carried away by the storm waters after a particularly heavy downpour.

Undertaker Karmenu Mifsud yesterday filed a judicial protest arguing that the water that engorged Pawlu Farrugia Street in Qormi was the result of poor planning and inaction by the government.

At the time, Mr Mifsud had claimed that the damage had cost him some €350,000, involving 800 imported coffins, six hearses and six other cars. Some of his store rooms were filled by up to a metre of mud. The government had known about the problems affecting storm water drainage for years before this incident and yet nothing was done except to make the situation worse when new construction in the area was approved, he said.

Previously, whenever there was a lot of water to be drained away it would settle in the fields of Qormi and slowly be soaked up by the soil. However, a large development in the north of the street had stopped this from happening, Mr Mifsud said.

The amount of flood water generated had now increased dramatically but storm water drains were less than three metres wide, which fed into four outlets measuring a mere two metres wide by one metre high.

The matter was made worse when the valley floor was covered with a layer of concrete and low bridges were constructed, further restricting the flow of water, he claimed.

The protest was filed against the ministers responsible for infrastructure, resources and the environment, as well as the Water Services Corporation and Qormi council.

Lawyers Michael Tanti Dougal, Yana Micallef Stafrace and Mario Calleja signed the protest.