Three farm dams in South Africa’s Western Cape province collapsed, displacing hundreds of residents, while authorities are keeping a close watch on a fourth dam that may also be at risk, Bloomberg reports.
On August 8, the retention walls of the reservoirs near Malmesbury, located 60 37 miles north of Cape Town, gave way, resulting in a torrent of water that devastated properties, vehicles, and local infrastructure, according to the Department of Water and Sanitation.
In response, the department has authorized the City of Cape Town to construct an emergency spillway on the fourth dam to manage excess water and reduce the threat of its collapse. Additionally, engineers have been deployed to the region to assist with stabilization efforts.
To support the families forced to flee their homes, the Department of Human Settlements has sent an emergency housing team to the Swartland municipality, announced Nocks Seabi, chair of parliament’s portfolio committee on human settlements.
Currently, dams in the province are overflowing due to heavy winter rains. Last month, Cape Town, a key tourist destination, was severely impacted by storms that caused significant infrastructure damage and displaced thousands from informal settlements.
