People at risk from Vaal flooding warned to evacuate

The department of water and sanitation has warned people living in low-lying areas around the Vaal River to evacuate due to rising water levels.

This is as a fifth sluice gate was opened on Sunday morning to manage the levels that have increased overnight due to ongoing rainfall in the Vaal River catchment.

Downstream [from] Bloemhof Dam, the rising water level will affect all those at the riverbanks downstream at the Lower Vaal Catchment
— Wisane Mavasa

The department warned that with levels having increased to 109.39% and outflows from the Vaal Dam expected to reach the Barrage later in the day [Sunday], the overflow will affect infrastructure in lower-lying areas.

Department spokesperson Wisane Mavasa said people needed to evacuate if they lived in “areas around the Vaal Triangle, Parys, [and] low-lying areas next to the river”. This included farmers having pumps and infrastructure next to the river people living below the barrage and also nearby the tributaries close to the Vaal River.

“Downstream [from] Bloemhof Dam, the rising water level will affect all those at the riverbanks downstream at the Lower Vaal Catchment,” she said.

Mavasa said preparations needed to be made to secure valuable equipment and livestock.

“Those [situated on the banks] of the Vaal River are urged to start removing valuable equipment, movable infrastructure and livestock and to evacuate to avoid any possible damage or loss of life when the riverbanks overtop,” she said.

Mavasa said one sluice gate had been opened at the Grootdraai Dam in Mpumalanga to release water as the dam was 102.41% full on Sunday morning.

Mavasa said the department could make recommendations to activate early warning systems and evacuation plans of potential flooding by providing regular updates on water levels in the dams.