Klerksdorp Midweek, Klerksdorp - While only the damage caused by last week’s flooding in Klerksdorp and surrounding areas is still visible after the water has receded, people will talk about the Schoonspruit in flood for years to come.
The last time the Schoonspruit has flooded this much is said to be in 1976 when parts of Klerksdorp CBD were also under water. Last week, smallholdings, businesses and houses near the Schoonspruit were flooded when several farm dams upstream near Ventersdorp burst their banks due to the unrelenting rain.
On Wednesday morning February 19, warnings were being sent out that people in low lying areas should evacuate. That afternoon houses started to flood and emergency services and the police helped taking people to safety. Several animals from smallholdings were also rescued from being swept away by the rising water.
These circumstances activated the Dr KK disaster management unit to deal with the impact of the flooding on the community, as well as the damage to infrastructure. A total of 97 households were evacuated with the most being in Cuckoo Street. Four fragile patients were also evacuated from Panorama Park Old Age Home.
On Thursday with water still flooding low water bridges, Matlosana Fire and Rescue had to rescue three people who were swept away by the water while trying to cross the bridge in Leemhuis Street on foot. On Friday, another four people were apparently swepped away at the same spot. The search for them have been called off later that afternoon.
Klerksdorp Midweek was told that it probably was a wild goose chase with only a four year old child witnessing the incident. Until now no missing persons were reported and no signs that the four people were indeed in the water, were found.
