Village is hit by 5ft wall of water forcing residents to evacuate their homes after 'mini-earthquake' explosion at nearby quarry

Published: 16:47, 31 July 2026 | Updated: 16:50, 31 July 2026 Residents in a village in the UK were hit by a 5ft wall of water after hearing an explosion that felt like a 'mini earthquake'.  Thirteen homes were evacuated by the fire service in the village of Gwaelod-y-Garth, situated in the outskirts of Cardiff on Thursday after a blast from a nearby quarry.  Mud, rocks and water came rushing down the hill and into homes. Fifteen were flooded, leaving locals devastated and in 'shock' after being suddenly submerged by water.  An investigation has since been launched into the incident, which saw water gush through the village at Heol Berry and Heol y Nant minutes after a loud blast at the nearby Breedon Group quarry.  The owners of the quarry have said they are aware of the incident but are unable to comment further at the moment.  On Friday morning, roads remained shut as homes in Gwaelod-y-Garth were left caked in a layer of mud after the flooding. The ground floors of some homes were completely obliterated.  The council confirmed that officers from highways, flood risk management, transport, waste management and housing had attended the scene on Thursday afternoon and evening.  Steve Mordecai and his wife were one of several families who were forced to evacuate due to the flooding.  Properties in a Welsh village were flooded after a huge blast from a nearby quarry on Thursday afternoon  Mud, rocks and dirty water came rushing down the hill and into homes in Gwaelod-y-Garth Describing the moment the quarry blast happened, he said: 'I heard the bang and the house shook, so I went out into the garden to make sure that everything was okay.  'As I walked towards the field - towards my gate - I looked up and I saw this wall of water - brown, dirty water - with wood in it and leaves and everything. 'I was shocked. I have seen some things in my life but this shocked me - in a drought area too.'  Recalling the shocking moment the water rushed towards him, Mr Mordecai said: 'All of a sudden I just grabbed hold of my gate and I held on tight, preparing for the force.  'Then the force of the water hit me and pushed me backwards from the gate. I was floating.  'I could feel the pebbles and the stones and the leaves and sticks going past me and within less than a minute it was about three feet high.  'The gush of the water ripped my back door off its hinges. The water was all into our utility area and in the kitchen.  'It went straight through into the living room and right out through the front door.'  Gwaelod y Garth flooded following a quarry explosion. @BBCWalesNews @NewyddionS4C @WalesOnline @NationCymru pic.twitter.com/kooi0gM2ph Now, residents are calling for the quarry to close.  Mandy Symonds has lived in the village in a home her grandparents used to live in.  She told the BBC the impact of the flood was 'absolutely devastating', saying: 'I would like somebody from Breedons to come in and see the damage to my house and my garden, which is professionally landscaped and cost me a lot of money. 'Explain to me why that was allowed to happen, but I can't see them doing any blasts in the immediate future.' A spokesperson for HSE said: 'We were made aware of the incident on Thursday evening and liaised with South Wales Police and the emergency response team.  'We have attended the site and investigations into the incident have begun. We are working with South Wales Police in commencing an investigation.'   Local water company Dwr Cymru confirmed the incident was not related to its pipe network. South Wales Police has since confirmed that no criminal investigation is being conducted by the police, adding that HSE will be leading the investigation.  The clean-up operation continued on Friday with the Main Road in Gwaelod-y-Garth and Heol Goch between Gwaelod-y-Garth and Pentyrch still shut as of Friday afternoon.  Cardiff council said highways and cleaning teams were working in the area to clear roads and remove debris where it was safe to do so.  But the highway has been significantly damaged, with mud, silt, debris and other obstructions continuing to block access and ongoing safety concerns about the road and surrounding embankments.  The council advised the public to avoid entering the river and not to allow their dogs to swim in the water until the investigation was complete, due to the risk of potential river pollution.