St Louis hill stabilisation project progressing well |12 June 2025

St Louis hill stabilisation project progressing well

The Disaster Risk Management Division have announced that all steel columns, cable frames and netting needed for the high-durability stabilisation nets, have been successfully installed at the St Louis Hill retention site.

As the site is near completion, the final steps underway are the installation of the side anchors and greasing of the cables to protect against rust in Seychelles’ tropical climate.

According to the Disaster Risk Management Division (DRMD), this advanced stabilisation technique is designed to last over 50 years, offering a durable and reliable solution to the threat of landslides.

“With only annual greasing required, it marks a significant improvement over the traditional netting systems which typically lasts less than 20 years,” it said in a statement

Work to stabilise the site with steel columns, cable frames and netting, which is being done by local stakeholders in collaboration with Swiss engineering firm Gasser Felstechnik company, started on April 30, 2025. It was identified as a high risk area following the torrential rainfall of December 6, 2023. Work started with the bedrock drilling phase for the foundation for nine-metre poles to attach the net to catch all falling debris.

The accompanying photos show work in progress.

Text and photos contributed