Construction of a new river wall is well underway in Laxey as the Onchan Rotary Club continues to raise money to help flooding victims.

It has been 30 days since the Laxey river burst its banks on Glen Road on October 1, leading to flood damage to 37 properties.

The new wall, which the Department of Infrastructure say is going to be 20cm higher than the one which was swept aside by flood waters, is being built from the level of the riverbed which highways division of the DoI said is ’required to withstand the pressure of water when the river is in flood’.

In a statement on social media, the highways division said that ’work on the replacement wall in Glen Road is progressing well’.

The division also revealed that the footings for the precast reinforced concrete units that make up the main structure of the wall have been set.

Highways added: ’The original wall had little in the way of footings at all.

’The replacement wall has been designed to withstand far higher forces than the original wall that it replaces.

’The road side of the wall will be finished in Manx stone in order to blend with its surroundings and reinstate the look of the wall that it replaces.’

In its current state, the wall has been accused of looking ’horrible’ and ’like the Berlin Wall’ on social media.

The DoI said: ’The wall is being faced with Manx stone.

’The finished look will be similar to that of the wall beside the Jubilee tree in Braddan.

’The road will abut the wall [and] the apparent "gap" between the wall and the existing road surface in the third picture is the exposed substructure of the edge of the carriageway. This is being reinstated as part of the works.’

While the building work on the wall continues, the residents of Glen Road, some of whom were flooded out of their homes, are being assisted in returning to normality.

Assistance

The Rotary Club of Onchan is raising money to assist families and to match the £500 given to residents by the government in the aftermath of the flooding.

That £500 was criticised by many, however Chief Minister Howard Quayle said giving families any more money would set a ’dangerous precedent’.

Rotary member Nigel Dobson, who is coordinating the fund, said: ’It was confirmed last week that 37 affected households have applied for the Isle of Man Government’s £500 emergency assistance grant and we are considering matching that to alleviate immediate financial concerns or assist with necessary purchases of replacement items for those who apply to us.

’We are aware of a couple of properties that were uninsured for various reasons plus residents who have lost toys and children’s car seats, which they will not receive the full amount of insurance to replace.

’If people have particular hardship or require financial assistance we would ask them to write to us with details so we can start allocating funds as they are donated.’

The fund was started with a £25,000 donation from Zurich International.

Hardship

Mr Dobson, who is also a Garff commissioner, has invited the constituency MHKs Daphne Caine and Martyn Perkins along with Captain of the Parish of Lonan Steve Carter to join him on a panel to allocate amounts from the Laxey fund to people affected.

Applications for financial assistance should be made in writing to Laxey Fund, Garff Commissioners Office, 35 New Road, Laxey, IM4 7BG. The first consideration of flood applications will be on November 4, but applications can be made after that date.

Donations can be made online or by cheque made payable to the Rotary Club of Onchan by post to the commissioners’ office. They can be made online to Rotary Club of Onchan , charity account, Lloyds Bank, Victory House Douglas, account number 00711886, sort code, 30-12-80, reference Laxey Appeal.