Flood warning after heavy rains

2011-01-05 10:37

Johannesburg - The water affairs department was expected to issue a flood warning on Wednesday after two days of heavy rainfall devastated parts of the country.

"The water capacity of dams [is] overflowing and we will issue a flood warning shortly," spokesperson Linda Page said.

The heavy downpour affected various areas including Moretele, Hammanskraal, Ladysmith, Newcastle, Roosboom, Driefontein, Mamelodi, Nkandla and Nquthu.

The office of mayor Raymond Motsepe from the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality said an emergency relief delegation was expected to be sent to the Moretele and Hammanskraal area on Wednesday.

Moretele and Hammanskraal are situated near the North West province border.

Houses flooded

In Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, about 50 houses were flooded on Tuesday.

The central business district was affected and businesses were forced to close.

Houses in Roosboom, Driefontein, and Newcastle were flooded.

The Gift of the Givers said teams from Johannesburg and Pietermaritzburg were ready to respond to the affected areas.

"Our teams at both offices are ready to respond if local and provincial authorities request assistance outside government departments," spokesperson Imtiaz Sooliman said on Wednesday.

"Having 18 vehicles of our own, including five trucks and more than R15m in backup supplies we are well positioned to respond if needed."

He said they had tents, blankets, new clothing, shoes, bottled water, cooked food, food parcels and hygiene packs available if necessary.

- Have you been affected? Send us your photos and eyewitness accounts

- SAPA