At least one person has been confirmed dead and dozens of others injured in central South Africa, in flooding caused by the collapse of a mine dam wall
The water swept away houses and cars in the Free State capital.
The tailings of the abandoned local mine burst open leading to damages to infrastructure, personal property and homes.
The untold damages in and around the affected area are extensive and have negatively impacted the community.
People have fled their homes, with a sea of mud and water flowing in.
The town’s power supplies were cut off, as mud engulfed a substation.
Government officials said multi-disciplinary teams consisting of the South African Police Service, emergency medical services, health, disaster management, social development, search and rescue personnel and engineers from the mine have responded and are on the scene where search, rescue, immediate relief and stabilization operations are underway.
Once owned by diamond mining giant De Beers, the mine was acquired by Superkolong Consortium in 2010, according to the government, which described it as now “abandoned”.
The Minerals Council South Africa industry group said the mine, which is not currently owned by any of its members, was shut in the 1970s.
