The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has issued an urgent call for residents living within the floodline of the Vaal River, downstream of the Vaal Dam and the Bloemhof Dam, to evacuate and seek safer areas. This precautionary measure comes after significant inflow into the Vaal Dam, prompting the opening of the fifth sluice gate on Sunday morning.
Currently, the DWS is maintaining the opening of all five sluice gates, with the dam's outflows at 760 cubic meters per second. The department has warned that further increases in inflows may lead to additional sluice gates being opened. Continuous monitoring will be conducted, and adjustments to the outflow will be made as necessary.
Residents in the affected areas have been advised to remove valuable items, movable infrastructure, and livestock to higher ground. As of midday Sunday, the Vaal Dam's water storage reached 111.51%, up from 109.3% full supply capacity, due to ongoing heavy inflows.
The DWS has emphasized that the controlled water releases from the dam could lead to riverbank overtopping, posing a risk to infrastructure in low-lying areas within the 1 in 100-year floodline.
These water releases are being carried out as part of necessary safety measures to protect both infrastructure and human life. The department continues to monitor the situation closely and is providing regular updates and hydrology reports to keep the public informed, with recommendations for flood preparedness.