EVACUATED residents said they heard 'rumblings and bangs' a week before a sinkhole opened up on their street as the council says Storm Bert caused it to form. 

The massive sinkhole opened up on a residential street in Merthyr Tydfil on Sunday.

The sinkhole is several metres deep and spans the entire pavement and some of the road on a residential street in Nant Morlais, Pant.  

(Image: Merthyr Tydfil Council) Sinkhole in Merthyr Tydfil.

Leader of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, Councillor Brent Carter, gave an update on the situation: “Our priority today is to stop the flow of water going into the culvert so that our engineers can do interim stabilisation works to stop it expanding further. We can then carry out a safe inspection."

Cllr Carter explained that the sinkhole was caused rubble washed down the hills from Storm Bert.

“The sinkhole has resulted from the sheer volume of material that was washed down from the mountain during Storm Bert," he said.

A whole week before the sinkhole opened up, residents heard what may have been the initial signs of trouble. 

Cllr Carter said: "At around 6am on Sunday 24th November three separate households from Nant Morlais heard rumblings and bangs, which at the time they thought was thunder. However, from our understanding that is when the collapse happened and it has taken 6 days to migrate to the surface."

(Image: Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council) Rubble from Storm Bert caused the sinkhole in Merthyr Tydfil

Police and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council were at the scene on Sunday when the sinkhole opened up and residents were evacuated.

It is not known when they will be let back into their homes.

Cllr Carter said: “We understand that residents from the street are keen to know when they will be able to return to their homes, however we will not be able to give a timeline on this until a thorough inspection of the culvert has taken place to eliminate any further risk."

(Image: Eye In The Sky) The sinkhole took up all of the pavement and a large chunk of the street.

Support is being provided to the residents.

Cllr Carter said: "In the meantime, residents from the 29 properties that were evacuated are being supported by our Housing Officers.

“Safety is our absolute priority.”