Xlendi Bay has been declared not fit for swimming, three days after heavy rainfall hit Gozo.

The Environmental Health Directorate within the Superintendence of Public Health, on Sunday evening, after bathers had spent the weekend at the Xlendi beach, said that  as a precautionary measure, bathing is not recommended until further notice at Xlendi Bay.

Following the rainfall on 20 June 2025, runoff water from the Xlendi valley, which was carried down from Rabat and several other localities in central Gozo, brought with it soil and deposits from the valley that have continued to flow into the sea, the statement said.

The quality of the bathing water "may have been affected", posing a potential risk to public health. Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) are currently collecting samples from all four monitoring points at Xlendi to assess the water quality.

At this stage, it is not possible to predict how long the warning will remain in effect.

Signs indicating the area have been fixed in the area. When the quality is restored, the signs will be removed