/ 10 January 2006

Standerton no longer at risk of flooding

The level of the Vaal River at Standerton in Mpumalanga has dropped overnight and no properties were in danger of flooding on Tuesday morning.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Amanda Peens said the in- and outflow of the Grootdraai Dam at the town had stabilised.

”We did issue an early flood warning yesterday [Monday], but only one street had to be closed off,” she said. A small shop and three houses were evacuated as a precaution.

Peens denied reports that the road between Standerton and Volksrust had been closed.

”No roads around the town are closed,” she said.

A small part of a street in a township had been closed because it was ”a muddy mess”, she

said.

Peens said the situation was being closely monitored. Heavy rains fell in the Bethal and Secunda area overnight and this could still influence the level of the river at Standerton.

On Monday, the Grootdraai Dam was 114% full and sluice gates were opened in an attempt to accommodate the high inflow into the dam. — Sapa