Update 4 - Fresh warning as roads are flooded in Gozo
The flooding in Xlendi - Video by Ramona Mercieca - mynews@timesofmalta.com
The police have issued a fresh warning to motorists to avoid roads in low-lying areas because of rainwater flooding.
Motorists were in particular, warned to avoid Fontana Road in Fontana, the area around Xlendi and Marsalforn Valley, all in Gozo.
In Malta, readers reported some flooding in Pembroke, Balzan, Qawra, Valley Road Msida, and Tal-Barrani near Tarxien but the situation cleared quickly.
The Civil Protection Department had earlier urged motorists to avoid low-lying areas.
The Met. office late in the morning warned that a severe weather system was developing to the south west of Malta and was moving very slowly towards the island .
As a result Malta was expected to be hit by thundery showers between noon and 1 p.m.
Ta Xhajma Road in Nadur, turned into a river - Picture Duncan Formora - mynews@timesofmalta.com
Flooding at Balzan - Picture Petra Urso - mynews@timesofmalta.com
A street becomes a stream in San Lawrenz. Photo Noel Formosa
A cloud bank over Marsaxlokk this afternoon - Photo - Mark Zammit Cordina
Picture: Godwin Mercieca - mynews@timesofmalta.com
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88 Comments
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john grech
Nov 19th 2012, 23:18
What do you expect from no planning, no government, and a no law enforcement?
Joe Galea
Nov 16th 2012, 08:36
Ara vera ,ahna l-Maltin m'ahna kuntenti b'xejn ta!
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20101205/local/pray-for-rain-bishop.339377
Ms.D. Galea
Nov 15th 2012, 22:18
Dont blame the weather. Blame the greedy developers who have turned Malta into one gigantic building site.
Gordon Cook
Nov 16th 2012, 09:50
Blame the government !!!!! :)
Alfred Falzon
Nov 15th 2012, 21:25
Is man's greed paying dividends?
This is most probably the result of wild urbanisation which is causing an imbalance in our eco-system with dire results.
Many of our once verdant valleys are being systematically destroyed by sprawling building sites that encroach on what little is left of our countryside (about 19% of the total area of our Islands)!
Alfred A. Falzon
Michael Spiteri
Nov 16th 2012, 05:30
This is Mother Earth. In Malta heavy rain falls are expected from October till March since always. When I was still a kid no one made a fuss about rain. In fact the Church in Malta used to hold special prayers during mass if by November we didn't get a proper downpour.
Joseph E Briffa
Nov 15th 2012, 21:19
Veru l-Maltin m'ghandhomx x'jaghmlu bix anke halba tax-xita darba kull xahrejn tigbied 70 kumment.
E Bonnici
Nov 16th 2012, 09:02
Ghall li jista' jkun, inti wiehed minn dawk li m'ghandhomx x'jaghmlu, wkoll peress li kkummentajt?
Mario Pandolfino
Nov 15th 2012, 21:17
Malta pajjiz normali bhal hafna pajjizi ohra f'din id-dinja.Ghalhekk ma hemm xejn specjali meta taghmel halba xita .Kull halba xita li qed taghmel gewwa malta qed tkun kulll darba news .Ma narax ghalfejn.Fix-xitwa hekk jsir dejjem .
Patrick Jansen
Nov 16th 2012, 04:10
I most countries it is not a usual thing that 100 mm of rain pours down in a few hours. In Malta this happens sometimes because of the surrounding sea that is still warm. Believe me, if for example in the Netherlands it would rain that much one day, it will be BIG news.
Joe Brincat-LL.D
Nov 15th 2012, 20:31
I have just called The Times about sewage flowing in Marsa, in that part on which TM made a couple of euros in investment. The rain was not heavy in the area, but we had a repeat performance. Families are finding uninvited guests knocking at their front door ! When I raised the issue, even through legal proceedings, I was assured that the defect had been remedied. What a joke !
M Cachia
Nov 15th 2012, 19:38
Thats the result when valleys are developed...
James Scerri
Nov 15th 2012, 19:59
amen...what drives me mad is that, we know it's a mistake...but we keep doing it!
paul camilleri
Nov 16th 2012, 06:56
@ James Scerri i guess we are like the Americans building along the Andrea fault line then nothing so exceptional in our methods then if it is being done by everyone , even naples they sit under a volcano and Catania sitting next to Mount Etna not to mentio many more countries that desire to live near where nature can cause damage!!!!
Anthony Paul Naudi
Nov 15th 2012, 18:58
Il-bniedem gie jaqa u jqum mill-hsara ambjentali li ilu jghamel. Issa in-natura iddejqet u qed tirvella. Dan ma huwa xejn hdejn li qed jigri f'pajjizi ohra.
A.P.Naudi
James Dewar
Nov 15th 2012, 18:34
Folks, It's only rain, not nuclear fallout, what's all the fuss!!??
Jason Borg
Nov 15th 2012, 18:52
Best Answer
J. Tabone
Nov 15th 2012, 19:01
Funny - and true, except that our pitiful infrastructure leads to dangerous flooding when any downpour occurs. Maybe rain would be news if the infrastructure was better and people could go on with their lives as normal like in most countries when there is a downpour.
richard reece
Nov 15th 2012, 19:58
Well said sunshine. its only water needed very badly to clean the mess and dirty roads in Gozo, besides being a good test to see how good your solid built houses are when it comes to bad workmanship.
David Borg
Nov 15th 2012, 18:24
Besides Rain water there was flooding of drainage at the NEW STATE OF ART ROAD in Mgarr Road, Victoria gozo in front of the Borg Petrol Station and at the Big New Round About. 12 million-euro roads and the gutters are not enough and the drainage system is malfunctioning. Shameful. WHO IS GOING TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGES ?
Ivan Calleja
Nov 15th 2012, 18:58
You and me my friend, through our taxes!
P. Attard
Nov 15th 2012, 17:53
This video from Xlendi is really interesting. I admit I am a rain-lover, but then I pity the fact that when the rain falls we just waste this blessed resource and let it go straight to the sea. I never had any faith in our local planners!
david xerri
Nov 15th 2012, 17:32
Rain started again in gharb gozo !
Ray Buhagiar
Nov 15th 2012, 17:19
In Fgura it was a drizzle. But nice to water my plants
Jo Camm
Nov 15th 2012, 17:04
As they say: BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY.
And also: HE WHO LAUGHS LAST, LAUGHS BEST.
Addressed to those who criticised the warnings we had.
Ms Jessica Spiteri
Nov 15th 2012, 16:45
Just stopped raining in parts of Gozo! Was really heavy at around 2pm!!
anthony sultana
Nov 15th 2012, 16:40
Rain is beautiful, why complaining,it help's all the living creature include animals human to live longer and healthy.Thanks mother nature for taking care of us.
Mr F J Brincat
Nov 15th 2012, 17:30
Of course when it floods fields to the point that crops are ruined you won't begrudge the farmers if they complain a little bit, yeah? Just a little bit of complaining though, not too much.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Nov 15th 2012, 17:40
Its not beautiful when you cannot leave your house or takes your car downstream.
A. Galea
Nov 15th 2012, 17:49
If we could only preserve it . Literally it goes all down the drain. What a pity ! !
paul camilleri
Nov 16th 2012, 06:58
@ Mr Andrew Camilleri i suggest you do what i written a few comments below this one!!!!
Mr andrew xuereb
Nov 15th 2012, 16:24
we are experience heavy rain at mgarr road Gozo. It's the first heavy rain since the new road was reconstructed. The residents and the people that passed from that road from giuseppe damato street up to borg petrol station can say how much water was passing from the surface and not from the gutters. Thanks to the architects that planned the road.
Mehdi Klein
Nov 15th 2012, 16:16
i dont know why maltese people are complaining with rain when the country needs water to feed the plants and trees and clean the dusty and slippery roads..(and also the potholes of course)
Mr raynond ciancio
Nov 15th 2012, 16:54
too true, pity no government have so far taken any action about trying to catch this rain and use it, i suppose for them its easier to just desalinate the sea water, what do they care its us the people that are paying dearly for our water. its ridiculous, today we are chucking all this fresh water in the sea to become salty, tomorrow we will be taking the same water back out to make it sweet crazy
D Zahra
Nov 15th 2012, 17:05
That is the problem with today's socities. Wrong priorities! Hating Winter = Hating Nature = Hating Life
Saviour Sam Agius
Nov 15th 2012, 16:08
Tal-Barrani is not very low!
j brincat
Nov 15th 2012, 15:56
AND in my neck of the woods it is still raining incessantly and has been doing so for the last half hour!
Rain is in fact increasing its intensity.
(jb)
Odette Vella
Nov 15th 2012, 15:28
well done met office!
Joseph Schembri
Nov 15th 2012, 16:49
And Meteo-Web!
Andre Bugeja
Nov 15th 2012, 15:23
Very Heavy Rain In Gharb And Many Parts Of Gozo ! My Weather Station Has Measured 85 mm So Far ! Much Different Than Malta ! And There Is Flooding !
Peter Murray
Nov 15th 2012, 15:09
Dont speak too soon as it early days yet!
J Martinelli
Nov 15th 2012, 15:07
Certi kummenti b'ton politiku juru kemm l-imhuh Maltin huma ppolarizzati.
Tal-blu jghidu, "Bniedem avzat, nofsu armat".
Tal-ahmar jghidu, Bniedem avzat, nofsu zarmat"!
Il-hodor jghidu, "Ghax kieku...."
Heqq, mhux hekk?
Alex Farrugia
Nov 15th 2012, 16:48
thank God you werent flooded
Ms.D. Galea
Nov 15th 2012, 14:21
What heavy storms and thundery weather?!
Slight wind and a drizzle is what I have seen so far and not one single measly thunderbolt last night either.
Andre Bugeja
Nov 15th 2012, 15:23
Very Heavy Rain In Gozo !
Lawrence Camilleri
Nov 15th 2012, 21:40
Not thundery but lightning weather. In three minutes five lightnings struck Gozo in quick succession.
William Caligari
Nov 15th 2012, 14:20
Well done Met Office!!!!
You were right, once again prosit!!!
D Portelli
Nov 15th 2012, 13:46
I assure you that over here the rain is terrible. Maybe it started a bit later than noon, it started about 1pm but if it pours like this in the areas that usually flood, prepare yourself. It's the country side and water over here is first absorved by fields than there are the water reserviours than the streets, finally the extra down in alleys and sea.
John Scerri
Nov 15th 2012, 13:41
At long last ...rain....only rain ....no landslides.....no rivers overflooding.....tornados.....tsunamis.
Just a taste of Venice.
Thanks God it's our lovely Malta.
j brincat
Nov 15th 2012, 14:42
And your point is?
Have you ever been got caught in a rainstorm with rubble walls falling all over you.
It's scary, believe me!
Here, sometimes, it does not rain but pours cat & dogs!
Terrible, otherwise we are blessed - except of course in summer when we are scorched out.
(jb)
R. Balzan
Nov 15th 2012, 15:43
Il-landslide ghada gejja jekk ma tafx.
Mario Scicluna
Nov 15th 2012, 13:35
..started raining heavily here near Pembroke..
Bernard Manduca
Nov 15th 2012, 13:23
Can you believe how negative and stupid some people's remarks can be. The met service here is excellent. As they said the formation is moving slowly towards us. Consequently it will probably hang over us for a while. You can't be too precise. But at least forwarned is forearmed. Take advantage of it. Don't set out if you don't have to; or whatever measures apply in your circumstances.
Mr.W Cassar
Nov 15th 2012, 13:23
Bet it starts when I leave work !! :)
paul camilleri
Nov 15th 2012, 13:21
i have just been told by a close friend in Tunisia that so far 4 people were killed in heavy floods today
louis scicluna
Nov 15th 2012, 13:16
Bullseye ?
paul camilleri
Nov 15th 2012, 13:07
this could be the fateful time when nature sends down its wraith on Malta cars are lining the roads leading to is salib tal Gholia to get out of the way of floods, other cars have insulated the doors and bottoms so no water can get inside, there are those that have welded anchors to teir cars and chained them against lamposts some even went as far as installing jet ski motors. take shelter time
O Kassar
Nov 15th 2012, 13:05
Ara veru hawn certi nies negattivi, xi dwejjaq. Iva sahha avzaw lil kulhadd issa wkoll iridu jikkummentaw kontra u jmaqdru?. Puh ghalihom. Kif jissaportujom in-nies ta' madwarhom?
Ms C Zammit
Nov 15th 2012, 13:27
Dawn trid tghidilhom biex johorgu barra ghax gej il-maltemp! :)
J Martinelli
Nov 15th 2012, 15:00
Mur gib dawn in-nies joqghodu go New York u li xi 70 elf ghadhom bla dawl gimghatejn wara li ntlaqtu bl-uragan! Mur gibhom kieku tifu darhom u hgarhom!
Maltese gemgem at its best. Spoiled and expect the govt to be their keepers. Funny how they couldn't say much when there was no water in the taps or an electricity supply more often 'off' than 'on'!
The Met Office provided a warning, heed it!
Franco Abela
Nov 15th 2012, 12:44
WHY DON'T YOU LIST THE FLOOD PRONE AREAS FOR SAFETY'S SAKE. I know of Msida and Valley Road but I am sure there are others!
paul camilleri
Nov 15th 2012, 13:09
mr Abela what help would listing these areas if your in your car? as if your going to stop and look at the internet to find out!!!! safe areas is well known high spots are safe areas even a 2 year old knows that
Mr Karl Ciarlo'
Nov 15th 2012, 13:24
If you look up the September storm, you will easily learn about the others. Have you been away from the island very long?
Joseph Borg
Nov 15th 2012, 12:43
12:46....perfect timing eh Met Office...not a drop in sight and valley road is bone dry!!!
Alex Farrugia
Nov 15th 2012, 13:02
. No meteorological unit can forecast weather down to the exact hour. They provide guidelines and it's better to be prepared and have nothing happen than to have the opposite happen.
Mr Karl Ciarlo'
Nov 15th 2012, 13:24
Would you care to check for us now? It's raining in Paola.
JJ Agius
Nov 15th 2012, 13:50
Once we were fishing 5 miles off ta Cenc and it rained so much we had to stop the boat.I never saw such heavy rain.On arriving home my wife told me it was nice & sunny day. Malta is small & easily missed & forecast is for Malta & some 20 miles around.
J.J.
Keith Borg
Nov 15th 2012, 12:39
The Civil Protection Department 'URGED' motorists to avoid flood-prone areas. Whether to avoid these places or not is your decision. I just hope I do not read any comments of people complaining because they didn't find swift help if floods actually hit our Island again. 'Bniedem avzat nofsu armat' jghid il Malti!!!
Paul Barrett
Nov 15th 2012, 12:37
Unfortunately for some reason my browser cannot currently get to http://www.maltairport.com/weather. However the Eurosat does show that we have heavy weather all around us and it is surprising that we are only getting very light rain at the moment.
Better warned than not warned - a lot of outcry if we were not warned and someone gets hurt.
A.J. Schembri
Nov 15th 2012, 13:05
Try going directly to this link for the dopper radar. http://weather.maltairport.com/en/radar-images.htm
Paul Barrett
Nov 15th 2012, 16:13
Thank you AJ Schembri. I actually had that link but unfortunately the website has been over-engineered and now takes so long to load (even with a 20Mbit connection) that it times out or just locks up. The site needs to be unburdened or broken down into smaller sections or it looses any value what-so-ever either as a tool or an advertisement.
Victor Rodenas
Nov 15th 2012, 12:19
Nothing was mentioned on TVM noon news,.......the LIVE sign was on,..how come there was no mention of the storm, if it was LIVE ?
Darren Bonnici
Nov 15th 2012, 12:19
Ghidu grazzi li wissewna!
Darren Caruana
Nov 15th 2012, 12:19
Same old by the met office and co.
Last time they issued a weather warning up until 15:00hrs. The storm hit at 16:00hrs when everyone was about to go back home from work and everyone knows what happened after!!
Plenty of havoc could be avoided if these forecasts can become more accurate.
C Cassar
Nov 15th 2012, 12:36
You clearly understand nothing about weather forecasting. No meteorological unit can forecast weather patterns down to the exact hour. They provide guidelines and it's better to be prepared and have nothing happen than to have the opposite happen. Do some research on the subject.
Steven Cutajar
Nov 15th 2012, 12:41
Darren how can you have better forecasting knowing that Malta is a tiny spot in the middle of the Mediterranean?? Plenty of havoc could be avoided if people are not so stubborn and take ANY warning as a potential serious one. We can get hit full on or get missed by a few kms.. It is practically impossible for forecasters to "predict" to perfection on such small land.
Mr Karl Ciarlo'
Nov 15th 2012, 13:26
Haven't you heard that Mother Nature is somewhat unpredictable?
B Ellul
Nov 15th 2012, 15:17
The MET office are waiting for your advice!
Walter Barbara
Nov 15th 2012, 12:17
Another scary false alarm like that we had on the weekend of 14-16 September where even events were cancelled due to the storm warning.....take it with a pinch of salt!
Vincent Gauci
Nov 15th 2012, 12:23
Better a false alarm than no alarm at all!
Steven Cutajar
Nov 15th 2012, 12:45
Typical.. the usual moaning.. "false this and false that" then when something hits, "Oh we haven't been warned".
Alex Farrugia
Nov 15th 2012, 16:53
Mr Barbara - it seems that it was not a false alarm as areas in Malta and Gozo were flooded
Christian Sciberras
Nov 15th 2012, 12:13
So we get 30 minutes' time to evacuate the islands?
Not bad.
Alistair Dalli
Nov 15th 2012, 12:03
Its already noon and its still not raining......how come?
Giov DeMartino
Nov 15th 2012, 12:21
Had it rained whenever heavy showers and thunderstorms were forecast, not even Noah's ark would have saved us. Xemx u xita Alla jaf meta.
Steven Cutajar
Nov 15th 2012, 12:43
It is raining very heavily just a few km to the south of Malta. There are many variations to take in consideration and true a "by-the-hour" forecast is simply an odd thing to do from the Met Office. I'd still suggest to take the necessary precautions though.
JR Apap
Nov 15th 2012, 13:20
A[pril fools came this year yeah.
Mr Karl Ciarlo'
Nov 15th 2012, 13:28
I think Mother Nature turned back her clock by two hours instead of one. She'll probably issue an apology soon.
Please choose the reason of your report below: