All residents of settlements and towns along the banks of the lower Vaal and lower Orange rivers have been advised to evacuate or move to an area that is above the flood line as water levels rise.
TWELVE floodgates remain open at the Vaal Dam, with the outflow at the Bloemhof Dam increasing to 3,000 cubic metres per second on Sunday.
All residents of settlements and towns along the banks of the lower Vaal and lower Orange rivers have been advised to evacuate or move to an area that is above the flood line as water levels rise.
Department of Water and Sanitation spokesperson Wisane Mavasa on Sunday encouraged communities to consult with local authorities and disaster management agencies to locate flood lines contained in the municipal development plans.
“The water release increases are necessitated by the continuous and intense rainfall that is causing rivers to overflow and dams to spill,” said Mavasa.
“The Department of Water and Sanitation appeals to all communities along the Vaal and Orange rivers, especially those along the banks of lower Vaal and lower Orange rivers, to remain vigilant of possible flooding and to consider evacuating and moving to high-lying areas.”
Mavasa added that farmers were urged to remove livestock, movable properties and equipment out and away from the riverbanks.
“The general community should avoid any activity that may put them in harm’s way. The Vaal and Orange River System is experiencing rapidly rising water levels due to the heavy rains and the department continues to assess and implement measures to mitigate the effects of these floods on its infrastructure and guarantee full capacity on its storage reservoirs after the rainfall season.”
Mavasa stated that the department was continually monitoring water levels and forecasting systems
“Real-time data on rainfall, river and dam levels are continuously analysed to enable the department to determine the appropriate releases from each dam.”
