Although predictions of showers did not materialise yesterday, the heavy downpours of the day before left in their wake much damage in Gozo streets while a school in Dingli is still assessing the fallout from the flooding.

It’s likely that the new flooring of the art room will have to be replaced

In Gozo, a number of walls collapsed and soil was washed away, leading to the closure of streets in some areas.

The north-western areas of the islands suffered the most severe thunderstorms on Tuesday, with rainfall amounting to 56.2mm and 51.6mm in Xewkija and Xagħra in Gozo, and as much as 90.4mm in Dingli.

In fact, Savio College in Buskett Road experienced major flooding with water rising to about 80cm in its large yard.

Fr Carmel Sacco said the doors were shut so the water that flooded the building was not that high, though a good amount seeped into the ground floor, causing as yet unquantified damage.

The college had recently carried out alterations and total refurbishment, shifting the library, carpet and all, and the art room, with its special flooring, to the lower levels. Water also entered the garages and the cars inside, rising to the height of their seats, he said.

“We have had flooding in the past and tried to remedy it by increasing the size of the pipes, to mitigate the situation, but it still happened yesterday, probably due to blockages that were caused by leaves accumulating in the grate,” Fr Sacco explained.

A tall man, he was in water up to his knees when he went out to blindly find the opening to the drains to remove anything blocking them and ease the flow.

It is likely that the new flooring of the art room will have to be replaced, but past pupils have been calling in to offer their assistance and the college plans to organise a fund-raising football tournament for them.

The Justice Ministry yesterday thanked the armed forces, Civil Protection Department and the police for their efforts and “sense of sacrifice” on Tuesday and also throughout the night.

They helped people avoid accidents that could have had serious consequences, the ministry said.

“Despite the fact that in a relatively short space of time, a substantial amount of rain had fallen, thanks to their coordinated efforts it was possible for the normal use of the roads to resume again yesterday morning,” it said.

Meanwhile, repair works on roads in hard-hit areas started late on Tuesday night and included the reinstatement of a number of retaining walls, service culverts, fragmented asphalt and broken pavements.