THE bill to repair a stretch of the Grand Western Canal after the collapse of an embankment could be as much as £5m.
The breach occurred where the canal's embankment rises nearly 60 feet near Halberton.
Witnesses described seeing torrents of water flowing like a "waterfall" and emitting a "deep thundering roar" before the bank gave way.
A two-mile section of the canal drained through the hole left in the bank, with water forming a lagoon in an adjoining field.
Work is continuing to repair the immediate damage but Cllr Des Hannon, who represents Tiverton East on Devon County Council, says a long-term plan needs to be drawn up. He said: "The embankment was 198-years-old. Though it worked well for a long time it is not a structure we'd build today. Getting the canal back into working order will potentially require a large capital sum – I have heard one engineer say it could cost as much as £5m."
A Devon County Council spokesman said they had reacted as quickly as possible to the situation.
"The sluice gate near Halberton was open from Tuesday, but the volume of water entering the canal was unprecedented," he said.
"Rangers dammed the canal either side of the immediate problem area as soon as possible, to lessen the impact of the breach, and temporary dams stemming the escape of water from the canal have been successful."
Elsewhere in Mid Devon, Cullompton was one of the worst-hit towns in the district, with residents of Landlands Road, Brook Street and Pound Square among those affected, as were properties in Uffculme, Hemyock and Tiverton. Waterstave Bridge, just off the B3181, near the Merry Harriers pub, was washed away as the Culm broke its banks, while many other roads became impassable, including the A396 at Cove, near Tiverton, with some village temporarily cut-off.
