The drizzle that sprinkled the island 24 hours ago may have been greeted with relief by some but people in flood-prone areas dread this time of year when the looming first storms threaten to strike.

Fortunately, Qormi residents should get some reprieve this year as the first phase of the €52 million flood relief project will be functional by the end of the month.

Once works on the remaining 100-metre stretch in the upper part of Valley Road are complete, the Qormi-Marsa canal would have a capacity to handle up to 118 cubic metres of water per second.

Contrary to the other components of the project, which involve a network of underground tunnels, the flood relief measures at Qormi consisted in the upgrading of culverts, realignment of critical junctions and the reconstruction of three bridges.

Read more in Times of Malta.