Hundreds left Stranded After Flood in Mamelodi
Raging flood waters leave many people in Mamelodi, Pretoria stranded. Residents in Eerste Fabrieke informal settlement in Mamelodi, watched as their shacks were swept away by rising flood waters early Saturday morning.
This is the second time that the area has flooded; having previously flooded back in 2019. The township was supposed to be moved away from the river after the previous flooding, but nothing was done.
Tshwane Emergency Services (EMS) spokesperson Charles Mabaso, said that the flood affected about 800 people. “Emergency Services and disaster management teams were dispatched to the area. Gauteng EMS, 23-seater buses and 16 Tshwane bus services were mobile to evacuate people to temporary accommodations. Two SAPS choppers conducted an aerial assessment of the area and identified about 60 people on rooftops of their dwellings,” he said.
Incidents of flooding were also reported in Ramotse, Hammanskraal, and in Makapaan Road, Bosplaas. In Ramotse, yards were flooded and utility services were called out to help dig trenches to divert the flood water. “According to the South African Weather Services, at least 100-160mm of rain was reported in parts of Tshwane,” Mabaso said.
10 people were rescued from a vehicle stuck in a low water crossing in Dertig, just outside of the Tshwane border. And one is still missing in Babelegi in Hammanskraal, after being swept away by the rising flood waters. Search and rescue personnel are still searching for the man.
By: Alexandria Gregson
Comments