The bridge on the R26 over the Caledon River near Wepener was under water on Monday due to heavy rainfall in the eastern Free State and Lesotho, police said.
Sergeant Thandi Mbambo said motorists travelling on the R26 should use the Jammersdrift steel bridge into the town as an alternative route.
Meanwhile, police on Monday called in sniffer dogs in the search for the body of a 55-year-old woman who drowned on a farm near Bethulie at the weekend.
The woman was visiting a neighbouring farm and apparently decided to take a short cut back home, but was swept away when trying to cross a heavily flooded stream between the two farms on Sunday.
”The stream has numerous obstacles like trees that were swept along by the strong current, which have made the search very difficult,” Mbambo said.
Zastron
Some of the 26 Free State families who evacuated their Zastron houses due to flooding after a dam wall collapsed near the town have started moving back to their homes.
Mohokare municipal manager Geikantswe Mokgotsi said on Monday: ”Not all of these families have moved back, because they fear further flooding due to the location of their homes and the structural damage caused during the floods.”
It was reported that the wall of the Mohalieshoek Dam near the town collapsed due to heavy rains on Sunday, causing flooding in some parts of the town.
Mokgotsi said an urgent management meeting was held to identify alternative sites for those families who were scared to move back on Monday.
”Issues like housing drainage in the affected area could be addressed in case of a similar flood situation in future.”
Mokgotsi said a follow-up meeting with town planners was also scheduled for Monday afternoon.
”Social services and emergency officials are still looking after those that were accommodated in the community hall in Zastron.” — Sapa