Further humanitarian aid is being provided to residents of Riverlands, near Malmesbury, after they were evacuated amid another flash flood.

The Swartland Municipality says this time, work at the nearby fourth dam is what caused the flood. Spokesperson, Mart-Marié Haasbroek, says it initiated the evacuation after the Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) efforts to manage water levels at the dam unexpectedly led to a surge of water.

“Although the initial plan indicated to the Municipality was to slowly release water from this dam to minimise the risk of possible flooding, the plan by the Department failed.”

Haasbroek says the municipality had repeatedly advised the DWS against further intervention at the dam, arguing that the situation had stabilised. It further advised that any necessary work could be deferred to the summer, when conditions would be safer.

Despite these recommendations, DWS decided to lower the dam levels through a newly constructed spillway, which triggered a fast and unexpected release of water. The water surged down the river, following a path it had carved during a previous flood just a week earlier.

“It is important to note that the 4th dam did not burst, the flash flood was caused by the spillway, created DWS.”

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Haasbroek says Swartland Municipal Law Enforcement, along with Fire and Rescue services, were dispatched to the scene. Their immediate focus was ensuring the safety of the residents and providing shelter for those displaced by the flooding. She confirmed that no injuries or fatalities were reported, although several residents were treated for shock at the Riverlands Clinic.

“Residents are understandably unsettled and frustrated by [these] events, and as the Municipality, we share these feelings as we are all reliant on the information received from the DWS officials on site.”

Humanitarian organisation, Gift of the Givers, was in the area at the time of the incident, providing aid to families affected by the previous week’s flood. The group’s Ali Sably described the panic that ensued as the water began to rise.

“People were screaming ‘die water kom, die water kom,’ and roads quickly turned into rivers as everyone rushed to get to safety.”

By the evening, the water levels had receded, allowing evacuated residents to return to their homes. However, the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.

Haasbroek has assured affected residents that they can stay at one of two available community centres if they prefer not to return home immediately. She added that the DWS has assured the Municipality that the fourth dam no longer poses any threat.