Residents in low lying areas urged to move

People living along the banks of the Vaal River and in the flood plain have been advised to move as water is released from the Vaal Dam into the river.

Water levels in the Vaal dam increased from around 107% last week to 114% on 9 April and the authorities opened five sluice gates.

About 800,000 litres of water per second were released into the river to relieve pressure on the dam.

The Department of Water and Sanitation has warned that this might cause flooding in lower-lying areas downstream.

Further downstream, water levels in the Bloemhof dam which is fed by the Vaal and Vet Rivers have also risen sharply and water has been released from that dam too.

"People living within the high flood line of the Vaal River downstream of the Vaal Dam and the Bloemhof Dam should evacuate and move to a safe area, and remove valuable equipment, movable infrastructure and livestock," said the Department of Water and Sanitation in a statement.

Visiting the Vaal Dam on Wednesday, Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina said: "We are pleading with people to move away from the low-lying areas and also people should not be using the river for religious rituals when it is in flood like this."