Updated | Heavy rains paralyse morning commutes

Drivers fumed in their vehicles and pedestrians braved the rain this morning as a sudden intense downpour paralysed Maltese roads across the island – known for their shortcomings when coping with large volumes of rainwater runoff.

1 February 2011, 12:00am
by Nestor Laiviera

1 min read

The downpour, having kicked off with full strength at roughly 7am, froze all around the island. Morning commutes were brought to veritable standstills at all major traffic arteries, stranding drivers inside their cars for hours on end. People driving to work reported hour-long commutes on average, and grid-locked traffic in various localities.

Among the worst- affect areas are Qormi, St Venera, Birkirara, Naxxar, San Gwann, Marsa.

The Civil Protection Department urged motorists to avoid low lying flood-prone areas such as Birkirkara, Marsa and Qormi - locations notorious for the volumes of rainwater runoff that tends to collect there.

Despite how numerous cars stalled in the deep rainwater pools could be glimpsed stranded by the roadsides, no serious incidents have so far been announced. Ambulances and fire-engines were however reported around the island earlier this morning.

Last October, a thunderstorm caused widespread damages and flooding. Many saw the lighter side however, as an internet video surfaced online of a runaway coffin speeding down a rainwater runoff waterway.