 | More heavy downpours predicted - Drakenstein Municipality advises Newton residents to not go home yet
12 July 2024 | Press Releases |
12 July 2024
While the water level of the farm dam that is at failure risk above Newton, Wellington, remains unchanged for now, Drakenstein Municipality is asking residents who have voluntarily evacuated their properties to not go home yet.
This call comes in the light of a series of cold fronts predicted to move over the Western Cape this weekend, bringing accumulated rains after a week of cold fronts that have already saturated the soil, says the South African Weather Service (SAWS).
Since Tuesday night (9 July 2024), approximately 900 households have voluntarily evacuated their homes in Newton – in particular the section between Jan van Riebeeck Drive and the Bo-Dal Road – and are currently residing with family members and friends.
Following the advice of engineering experts and dam specialists, and being in constant contact with the owner of the 150 000-cubic-meter farm dam in the Bo-Dal area, the Municipality advises residents to rather stay clear of the area in the interest of their own and their families' safety. Members of the Municipality's Engineering Services department also frequently monitor the dam's water level.
The SAWS has issued an orange Level 6 warning for disruptive rain (more rainfall and possibly thundershowers and light hail) for the southwestern parts of the Western Cape, with heavier downpours predicted for the southern parts of the municipalities of Drakenstein, Witzenberg and Stellenbosch on Saturday into Sunday. Over the 48 hours, rainfall accumulations of 60-100 mm are expected in mountainous areas.
Due to the rain-on-rain scenario, the soil moisture content is saturated, which means that any rainfall will likely cause run-off and flooding to take place, according to the SAWS. It warns of possible impacts such as flooding of roads, low-lying bridges and settlements; damage to property and infrastructure; and disruption of essential services and traffic flow.
In the meanwhile, Drakenstein Municipality's Fire and Law Enforcement Services are doing patrols in Newton, while additional security is being provided by a neighbourhood watch.
The Municipality will assess the situation in Newton again tomorrow and will communicate with the community, advising them on the best way forward.
The Municipality reiterates that residents should only pay attention to the Municipality's official messages on the Newton situation, and not rely on various social media messages being circulated in this regard.
To report an incident, residents can:
In case of an emergency, residents can contact the Municipality at 080 131 3553 toll free (all hours).
Strictly for fires, contact the Municipality's Fire Services at 021 872 2323 (all hours).
To donate items, residents can drop off any donations at the Paarl Fire Station, Berg River Boulevard, Paarl (open all hours).
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Issued by: Communication and Marketing, Drakenstein Municipality
