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An emergency repair operation is under way on Avenida Miguel Induráin in Murcia capital after serious damage was detected in one of the city’s main sewer lines, and technicians are saying that an earthquake on Monday December 8 was to blame.

 

On Friday December 12, a stretch of approximately 40 to 50 metres collapsed, with a diameter of three metres, causing sections of the sewer to fall in on themselves and leading to ground subsidence beneath the avenue.

 

The road remains closed to traffic between the Homenaje a los Poetas roundabout at the top of the road and the access to the Palacio de los Deportes, just above the centro comercial Atalayas shopping centre. The closure is expected to last for several weeks and possibly up to three months.

 

In the meantime, there are traffic diversions in the area which have led to increased congestion on nearby roads, particularly the Avenida Juan de Borbón and Avenida Primero de Mayo.

 

 

According to Aguas de Murcia, the most likely cause of the failure is the earthquake that struck the Murcia area on Monday December 8. Although the tremor measured just 2.6 on the Richter scale and caused no visible damage on the surface, its shallow depth is believed to have shifted the joints between the concrete segments of the pipe.

 

This led to leaks, loss of soil support and ultimately the collapse. Inspections carried out in 2023 had found no significant defects in the pipeline, reinforcing suspicions that the current damage is a result of the recent earthquake.

 

The damage was discovered in a section of pipe built in 2000 using a tunnel boring machine and segmental concrete blocks, located at a depth of between seven and eight metres.

 

The affected sewer line is a vital part of Murcia’s sanitation network, carrying between 40% and 50% of the city’s urban wastewater, equivalent to the daily needs of around 150,000 to 170,000 inhabitants.

 

The repair operation is particularly delicate. Not only does the sewer run deep underground, but a high-voltage power line that supplies energy to a significant part of the municipality passes directly above it. For safety reasons, sheet pile retaining walls up to 14 metres deep have already been installed to secure the area and prevent further subsidence.

 

The next step, according to sources from Murcia City Council, is the installation of a temporary surface bypass pipeline to divert the flow while the damaged section is replaced.

 

Image: Ayuntamiento de Murcia