A SRI LANKAN family thought a tsunami had struck Queensbury when a burst water main flooded their home, transformed their garden into a swamp and turned the street into a flowing river.

Torrents of water swept through the Anandakajah family home, in Charlton Road, at about 2am last Thursday after an 18-inch water main suddenly burst under Queensbury Circle.

The knee-high rapids washed away bins, shoes, clothes and flooded about 20 homes and properties as water gushed out for up to three hours.

Mother of four Catha Anandakajah, who lost ten relatives in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami disaster, this week relived the moment the freezing water burst through her front door.

She said: "It was like a tsunami, I was so frightened I couldn't even hold the telephone to warn our neighbours."

Her 15-year-old son, Jathusan, captured the dramatic moment on his digital camera.

He said: "The first words my mother said was: A tsunami is coming'.

"The water went straight through the house and into the back garden.

"It was freezing and we didn't know if it was clean water or sewage."

Firefighters arrived with sandbags while the family took refuge upstairs as they waited for the water to subside.

Cleaners later arrived to rip up their carpet and clean the house with disinfectant, although several pairs of school shoes are still missing.

The water was shut off by 5am and the main was repaired by 5pm that afternoon.

The flood meant many homes were without water for much of the day. It also left a gaping hole which closed both the roundabout and Honeypot Lane northbound at the junction of Cumberland Road.

Angry drivers contacted the Harrow Times throughout the week to complain about the traffic chaos.

The repair work has been delayed by the unseasonably wet weather which means a fresh road surface cannot be put down.

It is hoped one lane will reopen tomorrow (Friday) and that traffic will return to normal on Monday.

The flood has been blamed on the mechanical failure of a pressure reducing valve which caused the weakest points of the aging pipe to split.

The enormous change in pressure also caused two smaller mains to burst. A 15-metre long trench on the verge of Honeypot Lane will be filled in after the roundabout is repaired.

The massive clean up continued through out the week and loss adjusters are helping families and businesses with their compensation claims - which could run into thousands of pounds.

A Three Valleys Water spokeswoman apologised for the inconvenience caused.

She said the company was spending £15million in Harrow to replace 100km of pipes in the borough.

The spokeswoman said: "Many of the water mains in Harrow are very old and have deteriorated due to the fact that they are made of iron and set in clay soil.

"The reason we want to renew the mains is to prevent the chaos caused when they burst - as at Honeypot Lane."

However, the pipe which burst is not due to be replaced as it is a "trunk" main and the priority now is on customer distribution mains.

It was the second time in five years that the main had burst.

Traffic diversions:

  • Honeypot Lane northbound has been closed at the junction of Cumberland Road.
  • Traffic is being diverted east along Cumberland Road, north along Turner Road, east along Camrose Avenue, north along The A5 and west along Whitchurch Lane to Marsh Lane.
  • Camrose Avenue is closed Westbound at the junction on Turner Road. Traffic is being diverted south along Turner Road, west along Cumberland Road to Honeypot Lane.
  • Traffic approaching Queensbury Circle from Honeypot Lane (southbound) and Streatfield Road can exit Queensbury Circle from all junctions except Charlton Avenue which is closed in both directions at the roundabout.
  • Charlton Road has been closed northbound at the Junction of Kenton Road and additionally at the junction of Kenmore Road except for access.
  • Buses are being diverted via Kenton Road, Kenton Lane and Streatfield Road.