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Monday, September 3, 2012, 16:23

Update 8 - Man killed by lightning

Man floats on lilo at The Strand

Updated - Adds videos, photos, details

A 39-year-old man died when he was struck by lightning this afternoon as the third severe thunderstorm hit Malta in less than 24 hours.

The incident happened in a field in Marsascala. (The location was previously described as Zabbar)

The man was in a field with a 25-year-old man. The two had been out hunting when the incident happened at about 4 p.m. As soon as the incident happened, the second man rushed out to the road shouting for help, and came across the victim's brother.

The victim rushed to Saint James Hospital, Zabbar, but was dead on arrival. the men who had accompanied him was slightly injured and described the incident as "like a bomb exploding next to us".

A woman also fell a height of one storey after she was dragged by the water when she got out of her car, a Toyota Vitzm in Sta Venera. The woman, 34 of Zejtun, was rescued and is being treated in hospital. Her condition is serious.

The storm caused huge traffic jams, particularly in the central and southern parts of Malta.

One motorist who left Valletta at 5 p.m. - fell after the rain stopped - was still stuck at Portes des Bombes an hour later.

On the Regional Road, motorists were driving the wrong way as traffic along the tunnels in Sta Venera jammed.

The Gzira Strand, Msida, Valley Road Birkirkara, Qormi (Manuel Dimech Street), T'Alla w'Ommu Hill and Ta Xbiex seafront were impassable because of flooding.

The Police and the Civil Protection Department warned  that people should stay indoors unless strictly necessary. 

The Met Office said a low pressure system remained stationary over the Central Mediterranean.

The first struck at about 5 p.m. yesterday and was followed by a more violent one early this morning.

Valley Road - Photo John Portelli.Valley Road - Photo John Portelli.

The situation had been expected to improve, but the weather system hardly moved and a spokesman for the Met office said the situation is expected to persist into this evening.

The third thunderstorm broke at about 4.15 p.m. and such was its intense that people in Valletta could not see the other side of Grand Harbour.

Motorists returning home from work found the same conditions they had found when leaving home - with traffic slow or jammed and roads already flooded. 

Several cars were carried by the raging water in Qormi and Msida.

See report of this morning's thunderstorm at http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120903/local/streets-flooded-traffic-jammed-after-heavy-downpour.435391

Balzan Valley this afternoon. Photo John A Portelli.Balzan Valley this afternoon. Photo John A Portelli.
Photo Christian Magro, GudjaPhoto Christian Magro, Gudja
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K Stivala

Sep 19th 2012, 11:59

Thanks Paul... Very nice of you.. Hope to see you soon!

I Bugeja

Sep 17th 2012, 14:52

you did not see 25 buses in the strand (gzira part) apparently at about 7pm !!

jane camillleri haber

Sep 4th 2012, 09:40

i fully agree. But now that building has taken the place of water escape on our island, maybe it's about time we try to make our very best to capture all this water and utilise it. our island lacks natural water sources and the only way we get to make enough of it is through reverse osmosis which renders it to be very expensive indeed . most of us are paying over 5 euro per cubic metre to use it for such necessary events such as washing and cooking .when nature opens its floodgates it's a sin to let it go to waste then. if the right infrastructure- on a national scale- is built maybe aided by eu funds, we would be gaining twice: the flood water will not cause the great harm and expenditure it is causing to life and possessions and we will start being grateful for it when it rains cause we will fill our reservoirs for the winter. I am baffled every time i see all this as to how no one yet took this issue seriously and wisely . maybe next legislature.

david debattista

Sep 5th 2012, 15:36

We have been abusing nature and the Maltese environment for a long time , I guess now we have to take what ever nature throws at us . We asked for it and we got it. Problem is this is only the beginning .
What do the architects have to say about this situation they have brought upon us . It is all about money NO MATTER WHAT !

david debattista

Sep 5th 2012, 20:34


What people's responsibility Matthew. Do you thing the people have any rights or a voice when it comes to building and environmental issues. Go for a walk and have a look round !

Lawrence Attard

Sep 4th 2012, 08:07

Good point Mr Agius. Our stations are so occupied helping their side win the elections, anything else seems to come second. I dont know about other stations, but on the day of the storm on Net and One the first item on the news was political statements made by their side - the floods and police warning to motorists came second. Any chance our political parties can wake up to the true priorities?

Edmund Mifsud

Sep 4th 2012, 08:37

Possibli hemm bzonn li joqodu jixxandru twissjiet mill-istazzjonijiet, ma nafux li positijiet baxxi jingabar hafn' ilma. Ghax ma nghidux li hawn min ikun irid jaghmila tal-gharef u jwebbes rasu, jew biex ma jhalliex il-paqqa hdejn ix-xoghol jaghmel ta rasu u jissogra bija. Fuq l-istazzjonjiet tar-radju il-hin kollu jxandar u jwissi biex nevitaw toroq li huma fil-baxx, il-Protezzjoni Civili l-hin kollu torog avvizi, nahseb hadd ma jkun qed jara t-TV meta jkun qed isuq hux. Nahseb aktar milli jixxandru twissjiet, aktar ghandna nedukaw lill dawk li ghad ghandhom rashom iebsa biex meta jkun dan it-tip ta maltemp ma jilghabux man-nar.

Mr Tony Gatt

Sep 4th 2012, 09:06

Radar can predict approaching rain very accurately. Surely Luqa could have some way of passing warnings on radio? A special frequency could easily be set up- without political baggage.

Philip Mizzi

Sep 3rd 2012, 21:04

Paul Smith

It is a pity that “Transparency International UK” do not share your views about corruption in the UK!

Quote from above source (see link below):

"71% of UK citizens think corruption is a major problem in the UK.

64% of people think corruption is part of the UK's business culture.

33% of people think that bribery or abuse of power is widespread among the police.

Fraud is costing the UK around £73bn a year" End quote.

http://www.transparency.org.uk/corruption/statistics-and-quotes/uk-corruption


The world is smaller than you think. Do not throw stones from a glasshouse!

Peter Midler

Sep 3rd 2012, 21:15

@Mr Smith

"WE just dont see it everyday as we are 70 million people, where as Malta is 400,000 and you see it everyday"

Are you from Mars? Or are you trying to impress us ?!! Go tell it to the marines (or SAS if you wish).

Mr Tony Gatt

Sep 4th 2012, 09:14

@ Peter Midler
When a politician recently built a 'duck house' on a pond at taxpayers' expense in the U.K. it made national headlines. Politicians who fiddled expenses went to jail. And in Malta......?

Charles Grixti

Sep 4th 2012, 16:33

@Philip Mizzi

I have just two words to say to you, "Reading Comprehension".

Alex FELICE

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:34

I saw several in the Rabat area.

R Axisa

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:44

I saw one just outside Kirkop tunnel (going out of the tunnel towards Kirkop) ready to give tickets to those who don't put on the lights or criss-cross under the tunnel.

Jonathan Camilleri

Sep 3rd 2012, 20:15

They only appear when the roads are prepared for fines, because they are motivated by the traffic fines they give out, not by making the roads safe.

C Cassar

Sep 3rd 2012, 21:35

and so the warden should do to those drivers. What's the excuse not to have lights on and cross the solid white line in a tunnel? Even more reason to stick to road regulations during this bad weather. There are no excuses.

carmel muscat

Sep 3rd 2012, 22:48

i saw wardens as well and one of them helped me

Robert Attard

Sep 4th 2012, 04:55

X'joqghod jaghmel il-warden fix-xita????? Jissogra li jgorru l-ilma jew?????

Noel Mifsud

Sep 4th 2012, 07:38

I saw 2 in gudja on the way to the airport and another one outside the tunnel leading to kirkop. Agree R Axisa just was there to give tickets. These are for that purpose only not for the help of the citizens.

Johnny Xerri

Sep 3rd 2012, 22:12

I for one was out hunting, because since malta is not on a main migratory route, adverse weather is something we look forward to since it may increase the chance of encountering some game birds...at times hunters who hunt at sea pray for such weather...

however, to hunt in such weather at sea one needs a decent size sea craft...but the Maltese govt sees it fit to open the sea hunting season...fully aware (since he has been informed by FKNK) that the current legislation with the maximum speed limitation makes it unsafe since a 9hp motor is not safe in such weather.

Unfortunately sometimes something does go wrong...but than sometimes something might go wrong...but I'd rather be there and run the risk...than at home behind a pc.

May God grant him eternal rest

Jo Meli

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:36

ANY pointed object attaracts lighting !!!

Strange as it may sound, a lighting strike starts from the GROUND (earth) and the corresponding part meets about halfway and NOT upwards down.

Nicholas Grech

Sep 3rd 2012, 20:33

lightning finds the shortest root to the ground, therefore in a field which is obviously flat, the fastest root taken by the lightning bolt would be through something tall such as a tree. Hence never stay under a tree during a lightning storm, not even standing in the field the safe as you would technically be the tallest thing there.

RIP and my condolences to his family.


Kevin Farrugia

Sep 4th 2012, 07:19

Mr Jo Meli....get your facts Right...Before lightning is formed, the cumulonimbus cloud of thunderstorms must become electrically charged. In most rain clouds, the bottom of the cloud is negatively charged and the top is positively charged. It is not known how the cloud becomes charged, but scientists have formed numerous theories to try to explain this phenomenon. These theories have been divided into two main categories: those that require ice and those that do not. However, meteorologists are leaning toward the theory that requires ice because lightning is not often seen unless ice has formed in the upper layers of the rain cloud.

Theories

The first theory describes how ice gains a negative charge while frozen and unfrozen water keeps its positive charge. Another theory shows how when large droplets fall swiftly, they gain a negative charge, while slowly falling water gains a positive charge.

Theories that do not require ice gives the explanation that the cloud gets its charge by attracting negative charges from the ionosphere. These negative charges are pushed to the base of the cloud by strong downdrafts, while the positive particles are pushed upwards by warm air within the rain cloud.

Strokes

Eventually the negative charge of the base of the cloud gives the earth a positive charge. When the electrical potential reaches approximately ten thousand volts per centimeter, ionization occurs along a narrow path and the result is a flash of lightning. The negative particles descend from the base of the cloud to the ground.

However, most lightning flashes are not a single event, but rather numerous strokes followed by a leader stroke. There can be up to 42 strokes to a lightning bolt. The time between successive strokes is 0.02 seconds. The average bolt lasts only one fourth of a second.

Simon Bonello

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:56

tinsiex izzid il periklu taht is sigar habib ukoll !!! kondoljanzi l familja tieghu :-(

Charles Grixti

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:13

Yes, one gets the impression that everyone to himself and that government is there only to enforce its laws - gone is the nanny State that was so hated by the Right-wing. Government now is there only for the few. Good luck with your plans to leave, but remember that Malta is but a microcosm of the world and the canary in the mine sort to speak and the same conservative forces and agenda are at work everywhere since the neo-cons have practically eliminated all opposition and are and have been at the helm of many countries both in Europe and North America for decades now.

Tonio Bone

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:17

Joseph, with all due respect, when rain falls this way even in midtown New York, it floods the place. There is no urban area that can handle such torrential downpours. 16 years of Labour, 25 years of PN and God knows how many years to come and no one, I mean no one, will find a solution to confront nature when it decides to show it's force in this manner! Very immature comment if you ask me!

C Cassar

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:22

Well then don't go to the UK, France, Germany, Austria or Italy just to name a few countries which have far worse floods each year.

What on earth has the weather to do with any government? Some comments really are coming from 5 year old minds.

Janice Fenech

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:37

are you kidding C Cassar?! first of all enforcements in building wells should start again, water storage could be projected especially in the towns which flood most, cleaning the drainage systems and making bigger rains, controlling development so that no more land is taken, not giving permissions to build in valleys which unfortunately seems to be raising in trend. probably if you talk to an environmental engineer he can give you further solutions.

A. Mifsud

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:48

if its hot we blame the govt., if it rains we blame the govt., come on when are we going to grow up? Childish talk really irritates me.

Alex FELICE

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:49

I spent many years with my family away from Malta and do not regret for a second coming back in 1988.

Every Maltese person should try to spend some time away from this country in order to grow up like a stout man or woman, and understand better what bad governance or bad weather, for that matter, really is about.

At least this time there were sufficient warnings for everyone to take the necessary precautions to prevent complications.

I drove from Rabat to the University-Mater Dei area leaving at 09:30 and arrived just after 10:00 for an important meeting this morning. Barely four hours after the storm, the roads were "un-flooded" and uncluttered and thank you CPD for that.

Janice Fenech

Sep 3rd 2012, 20:04

this is not a question of who is in government... i really do not give a dam about politics... actually i hate it especially in Malta whenever a suggestion is brought forward it is always assumed that one is of the opposite party.. every government has made good and bad things and most of the time bad things are only a consequence of an unforeseen circumstance. flooding in Malta IS a problem, if you Google Malta rain, it is mentioned that malta floods very quickly and that traffic jams. unfortunately only the government can do something about it, so obviously one would have to mention the government.

LOUIS JOSEPH BORG

Sep 3rd 2012, 20:24

the only 5 years i spent outside malta were from 1981 till 1987 during the MLP control of malta against the will of the people! thank god for the PN i can live in malta free and in a democratic system! nothing else matters!

A Cardona

Sep 3rd 2012, 22:18

What has the government (red or blue) to do with flooding??? I know that our politicians' primary aim in life is power and money like the rest of the world's powers but with all the rainfall that has occurred in a matter of a few hours its hard for flooding not to happen. I suggest you go to some parts of the US like the midlands and you ll see what a real storm is ... spawning tornadoes or worse more encounter a hurricane of Biblical proportions. Mainland Europe is not less dangerous.Thunderstorms here are just a walk in the park compared to the monsters abroad.

Diana Borg Cardona

Sep 4th 2012, 00:42

I agree with c. Cassar, there are several countries in the west where there is heavy flooding in bad weather - and the UK doesn't have rain as heavy as ours. Last year some areas of Australia were feet under water, this year it was The Philippines.
The place where the Government or rather MEPA , or whoever came before, are to blame is that permits are given to build in and at the side of valleys, where water naturally runs when there is heavy rain. The problems were nowhere near as bad when Valley Road, between B'Kara & Msida was agricultural, the water went into the ground of the fields or unbuilt areas at the sides. Now there is nowhere for the rainwater to go.
AND it goes on as permits are requested for other valleys throughout the island. In the UK and other countries, they build near waterways, so when the rivers rise there is only 1 place to go, into the houses which are too close. When will greedy speculators ever learn that countryside usually absorbs rainwater, sooner or later and from there it gradually seeps down into the water table. Which of course was so badly depleted during the Labour years.

Tania Walters

Sep 4th 2012, 05:24

I invite you to come to Australia, specifically Queensland. While you're there speak to the large number of families who lost loved ones in last year's floods. Here we have floods, droughts and bushfires. I bet if the governement changes the laws and legislations, Nature might spare us. Silly comment.

C Cassar

Sep 3rd 2012, 21:41

Well, if the Maltese didn't buy houses in stupid locations such as valleys which everyone knows is a dumb place to live, most of these problems wouldn't occur. It's always the same old monotonous diatribe from most of the loacls who always blame the 'government' or the 'authorities' No one forced people to live in the valleys, it was their own choice. There are plenty of non-valley locations they can live in. No sympathy here except for the government who get the blame for an act of god and the un-educated decisions of some citizens who live in areas known to be of high risk to flooding.

George Attard

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:04

instead of moaning go out and do something yourself - oh wait, you can't can you?

John Azzopoardi

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:09

Mr Magro, you are indeed being very unreasonable. These are acts of nature.

Tonio Bone

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:18

Bad day at the office Mr Magro???

Joseph Camilleri

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:18

great compassion shown there Mr Magro.

Adrian Said

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:28

Jimmy Magro, I don't think that its a question of government. Look at Gozo. There were no floods because In Gozo they don't build in valleys. its a result of poor decisions taken in the past. Now we're suffering the consequences. Though I agree that the AFM should have contributed better in such circumstances. As regards to The gozo channel ex chairman, I wonder how many politicians are set for politics, cause you see some of them who started as clerks/police constables and are at the helm of politics. BTW ma nafx x kella x taqsam l-Gozo Channel mal-flooding!!!!!

ANTHONY PAVIA

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:29

The point is none of you wise guys could give Mr Magro a decent answer. Only catcalls! Now that is really mature!

Mario Sammut

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:35

And if I remember rightly we had a wise PERIT one day who built all those buildings in all of Malta's valleys if you want to blame someone Mr. Magro .

J. Grima

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:41

Is it the weather's fault that nobdy was directing traffic?

Tonio Bone

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:42

Pavia don't try to be the wise-guy because it's not working. What answers are you looking for? You expect someone to resign over a thunderstorm? Seriously? IN MALTA NO ONE IS ASKED OR MADE TO RESIGN FOR ANYTHING DUDE!

ruth klotzer

Sep 3rd 2012, 20:10

maybe mother nature should resign! what do you expect after a such a storm?

Bernard Manduca

Sep 3rd 2012, 20:34

Grow up Jimmy. God help us if your ilk should run the country. Most of the vulnerable locations were made so by your lot anyway.

tonio grima

Sep 3rd 2012, 20:48

Someone to resign after an act of nature!!You cannot be serious Mr Magro.

James Dewar

Sep 3rd 2012, 22:20

Jimmy, Presumably a moan just for the sheer hell of it? Try not to forget the main heading and keep things in perspective.

L Zammit

Sep 4th 2012, 00:04

@ Mario Sammut: It was a WISE perit who led the MLP who said that he had solved the Msida flooding in front of the church. The seafront was regularly flooded (with sea water) even when it did not rain. Then after 1987, the start of the PN marathon, another perit Michael Falzon came up with a solution and the church area was never flooded again.

Aaron Cremona

Sep 4th 2012, 02:27

Any person in particular that you want him / her to resign ?
Or how about the only person that there is with some blame ?
Maybe .. Mother Nature ?

B Ellul

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:30

is it Malta only? Have you seen the Italian news lately?

Joseph Sammut

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:47

Malta only? Mela ma tarax news tad-dinja?

gil falzon

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:23

Just to back you up luke, I fully agree that Malta is ill-equipped to deal with this. Yes detractors, our roads are not built to standard, particularly the new ones that are built flat rather than concave so that water flows off to the sides and into drains. Oh yes, the government should also look up this word-drains.

Tonio Bone

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:26

Luke, no one on this earth is prepare for a freak thunderstorm of that capacity! Wherever such a storm hits, it creates flooding and where water does not find an easy way out it clears everything in it's path. It's as simple as that!

James Dewar

Sep 3rd 2012, 22:22

It's a worldwide phenomenon Luke not restricted to Malta and Mother Nature always wins no matter what level of "preparation".

Karl Consiglio

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:12

And water too.

Kevin Camilleri

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:36

Mario, I remember that in a science book I had at school, there was a note in it that said that the energy found in just 1 lightning can power New York for a 100 years. Now, if this was correct, imagine for how many years we could have had clean energy if mankind discovered how to store lightning energy! unfortunately, money is spent in other research, many of these, useless.

James Scerri

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:58

kollha bravi...ivvinta t-teknologija...u wara tkellem siehbi!

Luke Formosa

Sep 3rd 2012, 21:07

Kevin, the problem with storing lightning energy is that you have a very intense burst that lasts a very short time. Building a capacitor-like device that can store 100 years' worth of energy in the few milliseconds that the lightning strike lasts for will likely cost more than generating the same amount of energy by conventional means would. In other words, it will never be economically viable.

What we need is an energy source that gives sustained low-level power output over a long period, like solar, wind, geothermal and wave energy to name a few.

M Fava

Sep 3rd 2012, 21:13

@Kevin Camilleri Please get your facts straight. Firstly, one lightning bolt can only power New York (day and night) for up to 2 years, approximately. Secondly, research has been done to use the energy in a lightning bolt. However, due to the electric power of a lightning bolt, equipment such as aerials which were used to attain the energy from the lightning bolt, were completely burnt. Money has been spent on this research but there's really nothing we can do. What kind of research is useless? The research for a cure for cancer and AIDS? Research to develop newer, cleaner energy? Please, consult the internet at least before speaking.

M Fava

Sep 3rd 2012, 21:15

@Kevin Camilleri Jahasra tahseb li kemm tfaqqa' subghajk u ggib l-energija minn sajjetta? Jesus Christ, if only it were that simple.

Nazzareno Cortis

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:00

X'ghandu x'jaqsam li qed tghid-----tal-linja l-qodma qatt ma waqfu fil maltemp!!!!!Ma nippretendix li jieqfu l-godda!!!!!

Eddy Privitera

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:02

N. Zarb: While one must thank the drivers and staff for trying their best, one should also remember that even before Arriva came, the old buses and divers had never stopped the service when storms hit the island !

Philip Grech

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:09

Jekk indunajt l-Arriva kienu ta ghajnuna kbira biex tkompli tiggamja Malta. Rajt kemm il-xarabank (char-a-banc) skidja u ghalaq it-triq? Li ma kellniex zgur qabel kien li vetturi antiki ma jiskidjawx ma l-ewwel bexxa xita jew fin-niexef.

Joseph Aquilina

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:17

@Nazzareno Cortis @Eddy Privitera
Maybe the service never "officially" stopped ... but the busses did stop!!

Claire Marie Azzopardi

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:26

I was driving in the North area and witness alot of Arriva buses driving at very high speeds and were imminently causing danger to other cars and in Mgarr i was behind a car which was hit by an Arriva bus because it was driving at a very high speed in a Very narrow road. tatna qata hassritna, miskin hu id driver ta quddiemna ghax qas felah johrog mil karrozza bil qata u issa jehel hu ghax kien fuq stop! PASTAZATA ta vera!!! u dan ikollu il passiegiri eee, very safe!

C Cassar

Sep 3rd 2012, 17:45

Of course most Maltese conveniently forget the rubbish old system and yet criticise the new one at every opportunity.The sign of a good servivice provider is how they manage difficult times such as the last 24hrs and Arriva have done a marvelous and professional job which has never been seen in Malta.

C Busuttil

Sep 3rd 2012, 17:53

either you don't go out or you don't know what you are talking about, This morning and this afternoon you could see various arriva buses that have stopped in various parts of the country. Many colleagues today arrived late at work and told that they waited ages for an arriva to pass. Ok its no news that arriva keeps people waiting but not as this morning.

cesco di luigi

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:26

Rubbish...old buses never stopped in rain. This morning 15 arriva busses stopped for half an hour in taxbiex whilst cars were passing through.

Ray Pisani

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:41

Actually the old buses could never stop they were that good - I remember being a passenger on one of the old buses and water was coming in at the entrance but the bus chugged on whilst all around us was chaos.
I will never go on an Arriva bus again after two lengthy bad experiences. I will never forget being shouted at by a foreigner just because I asked where to wait and he shouted cant you read? Then I look at a sign with about twenty place names and dont see my town but wait there for almost an hour until a bus comes. This is the bus terminus where before you would find a bus waiting for you to hop on and leave within 5 minutes.
Ray Pisani

Jon Vercellono

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:19

@Cesco di Luigi et al., .................if the old buses showed up at all, and god forbid getting on the last SCHEDULED bus during a rainstorm, and being told that as you were the only passenger, the bus wouldn't operate. How soon we forget. During the last major storm, prior to Arriva, the buses stopped for approximately two hours waiting for the water to abate. Thank you again Arriva, and I hope you publish your on-time stats per stop for the nay-sayers out there.

C Busuttil

Sep 3rd 2012, 23:12

@Jon Vercellono

The old buses had to stop until waters abated just as Arriva did, it would be madness if not irresponsible to drive through floods. I was on a bus some 9 years ago during a severe storm and the driver was ordered to stop by the police until the waters abated. Arriva did nothing special on the contrary on a drive around the country you could spot various arriva buses which broke down. Nothing new in all fairness Arriva buses get broken down every single day but today due to the rain it saw an increase. Arriva is a disaster on wheels or maybe a punishment from God for all the bad things we said about the old ones. Thanks to Arriva what used to be 25 minute trip from st.julians to Valletta has become a 45minute one, and no excuses with new routes its just as the old one. Not to mention the endless waiting time at the terminus under the sun, over full-up buses with a barely functioning aircondition, incompetent drivers who can hardly drive a normal car, people left stranded on bus stages because they leave the terminus already packed as sardines.

Hallina tridx good reputation my foot they are the laughing stock, mentioning arriva is a joke nowadays. However your comments confirm that you live on the moon or probably politically biased, well you know nationalists get on buses TOO and they are fed up of arriva and I am one of them.

GEOFF BANKS

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:13

Noah way!

Joseph Camilleri

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:30

cannot agree more... todays exams should have been postponed!!

J. Debono

Sep 3rd 2012, 17:13

jien s'issa gbart b'kemm nuza f'xahrejn ilma fil-bir.

Li kieku kulhadd osserva l-ligi tal-bir u/jew il-Gvern f'dawn l-ahhar 50sena ndenja ruhu jinforza din il-ligi, li kieku m'ghandiex problema ta ilma!!

T Mifsud

Sep 3rd 2012, 17:54

According to MIA 64.6mm of rain was registered in the last 24hrs in Valletta by noon. I am extrapolating that by midnight, around 100mm would fall, accounting for the heavy rain that fell in afternoon.

100mm of rain in an acre is roughly 22650 gallons of water
The Maltese Islands are 78052 acres, therefore the total rainfall by midnight would be 1,77 billion gallons of water.

Changing to metric this is equal to 6.7 million cubic meters of water

The average water withdrawal according to WaterWiki is 129 cubic meters per capita per year
x 400,000 = 51.6 million cubic meters

So if we save a third of that rain water we would save 4.3% of our annual consumption! Says something!!

Marco Cremona or any other authority is please feel free to correct my estimations :)



V Mercieca

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:17

my well is overflowing and I have a large well

Mario Camilleri

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:32

i have saved it all....and still more space to save!!! i use it for all the summer....water bill always € 0.00 except for the rent

A Cachia

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:34

At J.Debono - Taf kemm hawn djar li bena il gvern li ma ghandhomx bir?

Charles W. Sammut

Sep 3rd 2012, 18:38

@ T MIfsud.

I think that you have your conversions wrong somewhere.

1 acre = 4046 sq mt.
4046 sq m x 0,1 m (100mm) = 404.6 cu m per acre
404.6 cu m / acre x 78,052 acres = 31, 579, 839 cu m (31.58 million)

1/3 of that is over 10.5 million cu m. Which is roughly 20% of your stated annual consumption.

You don't, by any chance work at ARMS accounts dept ;-)

T Mifsud

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:44

@Charles Sammut

Haha I do not blame you for thinking that.

As for conversions I didnt convert acres to volume but gallons to metric.
The conversion of mm of water to volume is from a source I mistakenly posted below (George Attard reply)

Mark Vassallo

Sep 5th 2012, 15:16

100mm of rain falling over Malta's 316Km² equates to 31.6 million m³ of freshwater falling on Malta.

Our total consumption of drinking water is currently 30 million m³ per year (down from a high of almost 50m m³ in 1995).

Therefore the 100mm of rain (4") that fell this week would theoretically cover all our domestic potable water use for one year.

Why people convert from mm of rainfall to gallons (US or UK?) per acre to then convert back to m³ (getting lost along the way) is beyond me.

When studying this subject in the US I was made to calculate these sort of volumes using acre.feet as a unit of measurement. When I came back to Malta I swore that I would never use the old 'imperial' units of measurement again.

L. Thomas

Sep 3rd 2012, 17:09

Thanks for the good advise and wishes!!!!!!

Bertrand Gove

Sep 3rd 2012, 17:22

ah, but you're assuming that everyone works from an office, a workshop, shop, or other types of buildings. What about those working with Civil Protection for instance? They've got no choice. They will have to spend more time at work, but not in safe environments.

George Attard

Sep 3rd 2012, 17:45

i wasn't assuming anything, hence i said 'be safe everyone' - i think people get the jist of what i meant. everyone's gotta be a critic.

James Scerri

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:01

Really appreciate when a person like George talks some optimism, during such a chaotic afternoon.
Nice comment indeed!

T Mifsud

Sep 3rd 2012, 19:04

@Charles Sammut

OK our discrepancy lies in the conversion of 1mm rainwater to volume per acre.

I got the info from ere : http://cwanamaker.hubpages.com/hub/How-is-Precipitation-and-Rainfall-Measured
and it says "One inch of rainfall equals 4.7 gallons of water per square yard or 22,650 gallons of water per acre"

Condolences to the man's family killed by the lightning strike.

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