Communities at Dawid Kruiper and Kai! Garib municipalities on the banks of the Orange River in the Northern Cape have been affected by flooding.
Municipalities include towns such as Keymos, Upington and Kenhardt. Several locks on the Vaal Dam were opened as a result of the heavy rains. This caused the water level in the Orange River to rise, flooding areas along the banks of the river
Aerial view of flood-hit Keymos:
Some residents along the banks of the Orange River were affected. Bridges and roads have been closed, and residents who have been cut off from their neighborhoods are reporting problems the closures have caused.
“It’s very bad for us because we can’t get help, even the police can’t get it, if they want to help us, it takes a long time, so we’re in danger,” said one resident.
Another resident describes the hassle of getting around the city with blocked roads.
“I don’t like it at all, it’s not good for us here. I have never seen this before. “I had to go around the mountain to come to town, where we always come to town,” said the resident.
Other residents have reported that medical vehicles are unable to reach parts of the cities to provide emergency care, while others report that the flooding is increasing daily.
Farmers were also severely affected by floods in two municipalities, and vineyards on some farms along the Orange River were flooded.
One of the affected farmers, Dirk Malan, says they haven’t begun to count the cost of the devastation.
“There is a problem of standing water in the vineyards. Because of this, the vineyards have died, and on the other hand, the farmers are pumping irrigation water into the vineyards at a high level, and they have to raise the pumps because [due to] a high level that they cannot pump out and this is another problem in warmer areas like the Northern Cape.
Communities in and around Keymos affected by flooding:
