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“We Got No Alerts”: Vaal Residents Criticise Delayed Flood Warnings
Concerns are growing among residents living along the Vaal River as some say they were caught off guard by rising waters due to a lack of timely flood alerts. Despite recent heavy rainfall and rising dam levels, not all affected communities were notified in advance.
Locals in Rietspruit and other nearby areas say the alerts they did receive were vague and not tailored to specific locations, leaving many confused about the real level of danger. Others, like homeowner Ryno Moolman, claim they received no warnings at all and are now demanding direct engagement with government officials.
Moolman explained that residents had set up a WhatsApp group that included officials from disaster management, but it hasn’t provided the urgent, real-time updates they were hoping for. He stressed the need for direct communication between residents and those managing the Vaal Dam’s water flow.
On Sunday, 6 April, the Department of Water and Sanitation opened a fifth sluice gate at the Vaal Dam after the water level climbed to 106%. The department has now opened six gates to manage the overflow.
“We, as residents along the Vaal River, are basically demanding that we get a proper meeting with the management from Vaal Dam and disaster management so that we can move together on a sustainable solution on how to prevent floods,” Moolman said.
The rising water has already disrupted businesses and forced evacuations in several areas. Concerns are mounting about the government’s readiness to alert and protect riverside communities as conditions worsen.
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Sourced:EWN
Picture: Antonio Muchave
