Westdene Dam overflows
WESTDENE - Neglect of the dam causes flooding after heavy rains.
Heavy rains caused the Westdene Dam to overflow, rendering the busy Lewes Road impassable on 5 March.
NMT reporters visited the dam at around 9.30am and witnessed motorists navigating the rising waters with trepidation. By midday, reports to our newsroom said that the road was completely flooded.
“I was alerted to the situation at about 9am, so I left work to check it out and it was quite deep. Some drivers went through but others did not want to chance it,” said president of the Westdene Residents’ Association, Robert Burger. “I got a hold of Metro police who arrived at the scene.”
Four commuters were rescued after their vehicles became trapped in the rising floodwaters.
“Two people were rescued from a car and two others were rescued from a taxi that was stuck in the water,” said Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi.
“I’ve been asking City Parks to dredge the dam for a long time and nothing has happened, so we will just have to keep monitoring it ourselves,” said Burger.
Meanwhile, a news release from Kruger National Park said that heavy rains also thrashed parts of the reserve, causing the closure of the Crocodile Bridge Gate due to flooding of the Crocodile River.
“Due to heavy rains in and around the southern part of Kruger National Park, several roads have been closed. Guests are advised not to use any gravel roads and to stay on the tar roads.”
EMS and Metro police advised motorists to avoid using the roads that are prone to flooding.
