0:00:00.324,0:00:02.261 [Roaring, rushing noises] 0:00:02.261,0:00:06.211 [People] Whoa. Whoa. That's bad. 0:00:06.211,0:00:09.993 [Announcer] It's Sunday, and [br]the side of a mountain has just collapsed. 0:00:09.993,0:00:12.612 It crashes into the river that 0:00:12.612,0:00:15.229 runs through the Rhondda Var,[br]near Tylorstown. 0:00:15.229,0:00:17.862 Nobody is injured, but[br]it's only today 0:00:17.862,0:00:21.044 the sheer scale of that collapse[br]is obvious. 0:00:21.044,0:00:22.794 Something else that is clear 0:00:22.794,0:00:24.511 is the amount of coal 0:00:24.511,0:00:26.946 that was still [br]on this mountainside. 0:00:26.946,0:00:29.095 Gerald watched it all happen. 0:00:29.095,0:00:30.878 [Gerald Durham][br]There was a roar, 0:00:30.878,0:00:32.544 and you could see the muck 0:00:32.544,0:00:35.046 starting to slip[br]from the top area, there. 0:00:35.046,0:00:38.235 Within a couple of hours,[br]the whole lot had come down there. 0:00:38.235,0:00:39.952 [Announcer] Do you feel vulnerable? 0:00:39.952,0:00:42.844 [Gerald] Yeah. Yeah.[br]With this going on, yeah. 0:00:42.844,0:00:45.278 These valleys are surrounded by coal. 0:00:45.278,0:00:47.521 They were built on coal. 0:00:47.521,0:00:50.862 It's a frightening prospect,[br]you know. 0:00:50.862,0:00:52.462 If that could've happened 0:00:52.462,0:00:53.945 on this side of the mountain, 0:00:53.945,0:00:56.195 it would be a totally different outcome. 0:00:56.195,0:00:58.470 [Announcer] His father Cliff[br]is a former miner. 0:00:58.470,0:01:01.449 You look at this landslide now,[br]what goes through your mind? 0:01:01.449,0:01:04.396 [Cliff Durham] Oh, Aberfan,[br]straight away. 0:01:04.396,0:01:07.479 Believe me, we don't want[br]to see that again. 0:01:07.479,0:01:08.745 I wouldn't. 0:01:08.745,0:01:10.696 [Announcer] I've been[br]speaking to people 0:01:10.696,0:01:11.979 on this street. 0:01:11.979,0:01:14.513 It's Bryn Heulog, and it's[br]opposite the landslide. 0:01:14.513,0:01:16.496 They described yesterday as eerie. 0:01:16.496,0:01:19.180 The sound of slurry[br]crashing down the mountain. 0:01:19.180,0:01:21.547 They are just thankful[br]that this happened 0:01:21.547,0:01:23.447 in front of their homes, 0:01:23.447,0:01:24.997 not behind them. 0:01:24.997,0:01:27.281 The greenery of the valleys 0:01:27.281,0:01:30.314 disguises the amount of coal[br]that is still hidden here. 0:01:30.314,0:01:32.913 In the 1970s, 80s and 90s, 0:01:32.913,0:01:34.979 the land was reclaimed. 0:01:34.979,0:01:37.994 But now, there are calls[br]by local people, 0:01:37.994,0:01:41.747 to inspect all the areas[br]where coal was dumped. 0:01:41.747,0:01:43.530 [Chris Bryant] We should definitely 0:01:43.530,0:01:45.761 be inspecting all the former[br]coal tips. 0:01:45.761,0:01:48.612 Making sure that if[br]there is excessive water in there, 0:01:48.612,0:01:50.462 that that is being drained off, 0:01:50.462,0:01:52.246 make sure everything is safe. 0:01:52.246,0:01:55.414 Because obviously, people [br]have seen the horrific pictures 0:01:55.414,0:01:58.245 on television news, of[br]what's happened in Pontypridd. 0:01:58.245,0:02:00.612 People might not have seen it[br]for themselves. 0:02:00.612,0:02:03.331 It is much bigger than[br]it looked on television. 0:02:03.331,0:02:05.514 So, people are, of course, worried. 0:02:05.514,0:02:07.803 It is one thing, having water coming, 0:02:07.803,0:02:09.481 coursing through your house. 0:02:09.481,0:02:11.248 It is quite another, having, um, 0:02:11.248,0:02:13.250 slurry, and the top of the mountain 0:02:13.250,0:02:15.048 coming down through your house. 0:02:15.048,0:02:16.897 [Announcer] But, who is responsible? 0:02:16.897,0:02:17.931 Who owns the land? 0:02:17.931,0:02:19.889 The Coal Authority says,[br]it's not them. 0:02:19.889,0:02:20.955 The Councils say, 0:02:20.955,0:02:22.547 they're not sure if they do. 0:02:22.547,0:02:24.511 Who is responsible for these sites, 0:02:24.511,0:02:26.291 and who is maintaining them? 0:02:26.291,0:02:27.772 [Andrew Morgan] At present, 0:02:27.772,0:02:29.510 we are in discussion with 0:02:29.510,0:02:31.011 Natural Resources, Wales. 0:02:31.011,0:02:32.500 Clears on the side of the hill. 0:02:32.500,0:02:33.526 It is the big one. 0:02:33.526,0:02:35.231 Rhondda Var is a concern to us. 0:02:35.231,0:02:37.020 We have engineers on site right now, 0:02:37.020,0:02:37.972 monitoring it. 0:02:37.972,0:02:40.050 [Announcer] Do you think that is[br]your land, 0:02:40.050,0:02:41.662 or Natural Resources Wales' land? 0:02:41.662,0:02:44.021 [Mr. Morgan] We are still in discussion[br]over that. 0:02:44.021,0:02:46.284 Um, but at present,[br]we have engineers on site, 0:02:46.284,0:02:48.147 trying to understand[br]if there is a risk 0:02:48.147,0:02:49.853 to the properties, or the public. 0:02:49.853,0:02:51.434 Certainly there is some concern 0:02:51.434,0:02:53.464 about the moment that happened[br]yesterday, 0:02:53.464,0:02:54.585 and what's caused it. 0:02:54.585,0:02:56.401 Is it just water on the surface, 0:02:56.401,0:02:58.661 or is there a deeper issue[br]within the mountain? 0:02:58.661,0:03:00.571 That is currently under investigation. 0:03:00.571,0:03:01.882 [Rushing noises.] 0:03:01.882,0:03:03.681 [Announcer] This is what happened 0:03:03.681,0:03:05.731 after a weekend of heavy rain. 0:03:05.731,0:03:07.830 These valleys know all too well 0:03:07.830,0:03:09.931 of their history with landslides. 0:03:09.931,0:03:11.514 Now, some are questioning 0:03:11.514,0:03:13.266 whether this was a one-off, 0:03:13.266,0:03:15.752 or an early warning. 0:03:15.752,0:03:17.699 Rob Osborne, ITV News.