Six villages in Taung, North West, were experiencing an outbreak of diarrhoea on Tuesday during heavy flooding, mayor Boitumelo Mahlangu said.
Mahlangu said there were increased reports of severe diarrhoea and vomiting in those areas.
”However, now we cannot say how many people have been taken to hospital for treatment. Officials from the [provincial] health department are only going to visit the areas today,” Mahlangu said.
She said families in some of the badly affected areas had to be relocated to shelters as a short-term solution to the problem.
”We are now trying to help pregnant women who are also caught in the aftermath of the floods. Sick people cannot even get to the clinics because of the high level of waters surrounding their homes,” Mahlangu said.
The provincial health department said it would later give a figure of how many people were taken for treatment.
Eight villages were said to be heavily flooded. Roads were also washed away and low-lying bridges were inaccessible. Two helicopters were being used to deliver food, blankets and tents. — Sapa