The water gushing from the northbound Sta Venera tunnel poses no danger to the public, according to the authorities and a leading architect.

Architects from the Works Division and the Network Infrastructure Directorate have determined there is no immediate concern for the public, a spokesman for the Malta Transport Authority (ADT) said.

The increased seepage of water led to the tunnel's closure on Saturday evening.

An architect contacted by The Times also said the leak should not pose a danger to motorists.

Prof. Alex Torpiano, the dean of the Faculty for the Built Environment, said seeping water was not normally considered a safety problem since the water was coming out and not building up within the tunnel's structure. Moreover, the geometry of tunnels made them very safe, he said.

The ADT spokesman said a structural engineer was surveying the reinforced concrete tunnel lining to determine whether any damage had been caused as a result of the water ingress and recommend any necessary repairs.

Moreover, the Water Services Corporation was carrying out surveys on the drainage and water mains located above the tunnel to identify the source of the leak, while the Network Infrastructure Directorate was inspecting rain water culverts.

The spokesman said if the source of the leak was not identified by the end of October, authorities would consider attaching a water catchment system to divert the leak to drainage channels running along the tunnel's sides. This was being looked into by the directorate.

Civil Protection Department head Peter Cordina urged motorists to be more careful when going through the tunnel. He said the greatest risk was that speeding cars would splash water on other vehicles, causing them to lose control because of diminished visibility.