Houses and businesses in Standerton, Mpumalanga, could be in danger of floods if the current water inflow into the Grootdraai Dam near the town continues, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry said on Monday.
Spokesperson Walter van der Westhuizen said the dam was 114% full on Monday afternoon. The inflow into the dam, which is situated on the Vaal River, was 1 200 cubic metres per second, while 610 cubic metres per second were let out.
Several roads in the town would be closed on Monday afternoon due to flooding.
Van der Westhuizen said if the current inflow continues, more water would have to be let out, which would cause several businesses and houses built below the flood line in Standerton to be evacuated.
He could not say when this would happen.
”We meet with the town council on a regular basis to monitor the situation,” he said. ”It all depends on the inflow. If it stabilises at the present level, we may not have to increase the outflow and then no buildings would have to be evacuated.”
Good rain fell in the dam’s catchment area and more water is on its way to the Grootdraai Dam.
The outflow from Grootdraai is very welcome for the Vaal Dam further downstream, Van der Westhuizen said. On Monday morning, the Vaal Dam was only 35% full.
The South African Weather Service said the rainy weather is expected to start clearing up from Wednesday.
Heavy rain has been caused by a tropical low that moved in over the country on Friday after causing heavy falls over Mozambique. — Sapa