Humanitarian aid is being distributed to residents after two farm dam walls collapsed in the early hours of Thursday, causing injuries and extensive damage to property near Malmesbury about 65km north of Cape Town.
Initial reports indicated a dam wall failed causing a sudden inflow to the dam below, causing its wall to also fail and resulting in significant flooding in parts of Riverlands and Dassenberg outside Malmesbury. A third dam upstream of the two failed ones was being inspected to assess its safety.
“Swartland fire and rescue and law enforcement services managed to save 15 people through their rapid response early this morning [Thursday]. Injured people have been assessed for near-drowning and transported to hospital for observation and treatment,” said local government, environmental affairs and development planning MEC Anton Bredell.
Initial reports indicated extensive damage to at least 50 households, property and infrastructure. Engineers are assessing the damage as humanitarian aid is distributed, he said.
Kim Swartz
www.timeslive.co.za
