This page contains news items about the January 2010 landslide in the Port which collapsed the end of calle Caleta
Cliff in Jávea Port in danger of Collapse
September 18th 2008
The technical department has inspected the man-made cliff on the Caleta side of the Port and found that it is in danger of erosion and collapse, and therefore unsafe (which is very worrying for people who have houses on top). The cliff is the result of excavations made to build the fishing port facilities and the Yacht Club some 51 years ago. The town hall acknowledges that remedial works need to be done, but no-one is sure who should be responsible: The Valencian Government, The Costas or the Town Hall. There will be another report. Meantime residents are hoping that this Autumn's rains are less spectacular than last year.
From Las Provincias - Xàbia reconoce...
Another landslide behind the Port
January 12th 2010
On 11th morning just before 8.00 am, part of the slope at the back of the port, not far from the sailing school, slipped down. Damage was slight, but access to two houses on la Calle Caleta was cut. The danger area has been cordoned off by Police. The last big slip in this area followed the 2007 floods, and it is thought that the recent rains caused the new damage. The CEO of Ports has been contacted and the regional Ministry of infrastructure will be asked to assess the damage and determine what action should be taken. From Press release
Caleta Landslide - Town Hall responsible for repairs.
January 20th 2010
There has been a hiatus in doing anything about the Caleta landslide, because it was unclear which was the responsible authority, the Town Hall or regional Ministry for Infrastructure. It has now been determined that since the land which slipped was urban land, the responsibility lies with Xàbia Town Council. Stabilising the cliff and repairing the infrastructure to make the houses on la Caleta safe will cost a cool 2 million Euros. The authorities are working together to find sources of funding to cover this work. Previous stabilisation works carried out after the 2007 floods had been funded by the Ministry of infrastructure, under the regional disaster fund. From Las Provincias: El consell y Xàbia.....
Regional Government to repair Caleta embankment
January 23rd 2010
Following his visit to the Javea Port Caleta landslide, the regional Minister for infrastructure and transport, Mario Flores, announced that the regional Government would undertake the urgent repair works. He noted that a contributory factor to the landslide, which had occurred after heavy rains, was the removal of large amounts of material from the area in the 1950's during the state funded construction of the port's second pier. He also suggested the drafting of a comprehensive project to cover the entire sea cliff, which would also have to be collaboratively funded. From XAD: La Generalitat....
No action yet on the landslide at the Port
July 31st 2010
Nearly seven months after the cliff behind the Club Nautico collapsed, destroying the end of the calle Caleta, imperiling houses on top and blocking access to Xàbia harbour wall, nothing has been done to make the area safe. Initially there was paralysis because of disagreement as to which authority was responsible for the works. Finally, at the end of January the regional Minister for infrastructure and transport said they would undertake the urgent repair works, estimated at over 2 million Euros. Since then the Town hall has sent a letter with a preliminary draft of the job, emphasising that Xàbia would not be funding it, since the landslip was not their responsibility, but nothing has happened. The Autumn rains are not far away and the Town Hall says it knows nothing more. This inaction has enraged the householders affected, especially since one of the residents of Calle Caleta is PP leader Juan Moragues, and when an earlier landslide affected his property, the Conselleria acted very quickly. From XAD: Los vecinos... Las Provincias implies that the Town Hall and Conselleria are still arguing over who pays. Consolidar el talud...
Remedial Works for the Port Landslide to start "soon"
18 August 2010
Owners of the properties teetering on the edge of the landslip behind the Club Nautico have expressed their heightened concern following renewed landslips after the recent unseasonal rain. They were treated to a visit by two technicians from the Department of Infrastructure, who recommeended that they leave their homes as soon as possible and that the road to the Club Nautico should be closed because of the landslide risk. The Town Hall later announced that the remedial works would begin "soon". According to other sources, the start date is November… after the rainy season. From XAD: Las Obras para... and Las Provincias: Xàbia aconsejar desalojar... See alsl article in English language press: RTN - Hanging on
Work on stabilising the Caleta Landslide begins
Oct 16th 2010
The regional Department of Infrastructure and Transport has started work on the stabilisation of the Caleta cliff in the Port at a cost of 1.4 million Euros. To begin with, the loose material will be removed and then, as from November 8th, a two teir, anchored retaining wall will be constructed, using a technique similar to that used to stabilise the nearby slope after a previous landslip in 2007. The job is expected to take 6 months to complete and will be paid for from regional funds. Thus far, the Regional Government has spent 2.2 million Euros on stabilisinging various parts of this slope. From XAD Comienzan las Obras....
Design of remedial works undertaken in October 2010
A length of 75 metres of slope will be stabilised by a two teir retaining wall of pre-cast reinforced concrete slabs resting on concrete footings and anchored with angled steel rods 7 - 10m long. The lower wall will be 10m high, the upper about 6m. The space behind each wall will be filled with granular material held in place by geotextile fabric and dainage tubes will run along the base of each teir. At each end the structure will be closed off with robust sea-wall boulders and concrete. The ledges above each wall will be used for plants to help disguise the wall's appearance. The Calle Caleta will be rebuilt and asphalted on top of the wall by the Town Hall. The road to the Club Nautico will retain its width as per before the landslide. (From XAD: Comenzian las Obras....
Notes on Cliff Stabilisation:
Engineers use several different techniques to stabilise vertical slopes or cliffs. A combination of methods is often used, depending upon the strength of the material of which the cliff is made, and the space the engineers have to work with. The cliffs beneath the Calle de la Caleta are made of weakly cemented, loose material (silt, sand and stones), not hard rock.
Two, slightly different methods have already been used to stabilise this cliff in the Port.
1. Near the Torre del Puerto - closest to the Port.
Terraces built of gabions* (brick shaped wire baskets full of rocks) reinforce and protect the cliff face which is completely hidden behind them. The terraces create a stepped profile instead of a vertical cliff face and have enabled trhe construction of a drainage channel to carry rainwater away.
2. Behind the office of the Conselleria, a bit further along. (Repairs done in 2007)
Here the cliff is higher and a different solution has been used. A retaining wall has been built with concrete slabs. These are held in position by angled "ties" which are steel anchor rods which are fastened deep inside the slope. Boulders seal off the ends. This construction is also stepped and hides the natural cliff face.
